Wild Things
by Kittenshift17
Summary: "You haven't changed one bit Jake Ely," She told him "But I'm glad you're back." She added, glancing away so he wouldn't see her smile. Jake's mouth threatened a small smile, Sam noticed as she stared at the lips that used to press against her own. "We should head in Brat, 'fore your stallion shows me who's boss," He told her, letting a lazy tomcat smile spread across his lips.
1. Lively Mustang Eyes

Chapter 1:

Samantha Forster rode the black roach mane Quarter horse mare bareback across the playa beneath the hot summer sun. Summer had only just begun but there was already a keen bite in the sun as it beamed down on the Nevada desert. Witch loped with easy grace beneath her. It had been four years to the day since Jake had left for college and in that time Sam and Witch had developed a keen friendship. Personally Sam blamed that on the fact that they both missed Jake so much when he was away, although Sam had refused to admit that fact to anyone other than her horse friends.

Things between Sam and Jake had been a little awkward when he came home during the first breaks he had from college. But then that was to be expected. After a time though things had gotten easier and fallen back to the comfortable friendship they had always shared. Now when Jake came home they caught up and never mentioned what had been between them the summer before he left.

"Should we gallop Witchy?" Sam asked the mare, her black ears flicked back to catch Sam's voice. Sam smiled; about a year after Jake had left Witch had finally accepted that if she wanted any exercise she would have to tolerate Sam. Tightening the muscles in her thighs and leaning forward Sam urged Witch into a gallop, letting loose a wild yell, the likes of which she grew up listening to the cowboys in her life utter. Sam had learned a great many things from the cowboys in her life.

Sam's brown Stetson blew off her head and flew to the end of her stampede string; the one Pepper had helped her make when she was thirteen and re-learning her place in Nevada. Witch's hooves pounded against the desert floor as Sam clung to her back. Nothing could ever compare to riding the Phantom, but riding Witch came awfully close.

They were headed for home after a long afternoon of riding the trails that surrounded River Bend Ranch with Jen Kenworthy. Jen had come home yesterday from her college in Montanna and they had both been excited to catch up. In spite of the quarelling between their mounts due to Witch's awful temper, Sam had also confessed her anxiousness about seeing Jake when he came home this summer, pouring her fears into her best friend's waiting ears. Jen had listened curiously as Sam poured out her nervousness. Sam had no doubt that Jen had been shocked by the amount of babble Sam had spouted at her; babble wasn't her way anymore. But today she couldn't control it. Jake was coming home tomorrow, Sam knew because the Ely's were very excited as Jake and Kit were both coming home tomorrow for the summer, and they were going to have a Bonfire over at Three Ponies Ranch.

In Jake's absence Sam and Quinn and Brian and Adam Ely had formed something of a band when Quinn had walked in on Sam singing to the horses in the barn at River Bend one day last year. Mostly they just played together for fun but Maxine had requested that for some of the evening they play a few songs. Sam was terrified to do it. She'd grown out her stage fright and fear of public speaking at sixteen and most everyone who would be attending had heard Sam sing and watched her play guitar with the Ely boys. But not Jake.

Last summer break when Jake had come home, Sam had been in San Francisco living with Aunt Sue while she took a fast-tracked summer internship that had earned her a Journalism diploma. Meaning that she hadn't been home the last time Jake had and that they now hadn't seen each other in almost two years. They spoke on the phone occasionally, but Jake was still awful at making conversation so most of the time Sam tried to coax him into talking for a while before they hung up.

As River Bend bridge came into view Sam sat up, slowing Witch back to a lope. Then she dropped her reins as she threw her arms wide, clinging to the mare with one the fabric of her jeans and the strength of the muscles in her legs. Sam loved to ride like this because it made her feeling like a mythical centaur. She longed to try it on the Phantom, but so far the only horse on River Bend that had tolerated such crazy behavior was Witch. And the only reason Witch tolerated it was because she had grown accustomed to years of Jake leaning out of the saddle like he might fall so that he could read tracks in the dirt.

As they entered the cool tunnel of the bridge Sam let loose another cowgirl yell, splitting the afternoon silence before enjoying the way the sound complimented the echoing of Witch's hooves as the clopped across the bridge. At almost nineteen Sam had finally learned to trust her body and trust her horse and had accepted that the fear she had of falling did nothing to keeping her from the act. She'd put aside the terror of falling to the ground, the fear of the pain of slamming into the dirt. Somehow Sam had managed to let go of the fear and doubt caused by her accident all those years ago. Now Sam lived by a code that no matter what each day threw at her, be it blizzards, hurricane's floods, coyotes dead cattle or changing dirty diapers for her kid brother, outwardly nothing was of more significance and worth any more worry than a spot of hat hair. Somehow it made life easier.

Sam was midway across the ranch yard when she saw the truck the color of washed out denim. Witch saw it too and when she did the mare skidded to a stop, causing a huge cloud of dust to engulf the yard as Sam tried to peer through it at the truck. Sam couldn't believe her eyes. Surely it couldn't be. But it had to be! Witch's reaction confirmed what Sam's mind had presented her but was too shocked to believe. Sam gulped.

That was Jake's truck.

Jake Ely leaned against the round pipe corral next to Wyatt Forster. They had both looked up as they heard a cowboy yell that was too high pitched for a cowboy and the sound of hooves as a horse clopped across the bridge. Jake had knocked his black Stetson back out of his unbelieving eyes. The rider had dropped their reins onto the horse's neck and had her arms flung wide like she could fly as the mare loped across the bridge without fear.

They cleared the bridge and loped all the way into the middle of the yard before the mare skidded to a stop and Jake realized that the mare was Witch. Surely it couldn't be. No-one but him was crazy enough to ride Witch bareback. The mare was viscous; she'd eat anyone who tried. Yet there before his eyes stood his mare, with a young woman sitting bareback astride her. Wyatt Forster began to chuckle at the disbelieving look on Jake Ely's face. Sam had come a long way with Witch and with her skills in riding. Wyatt had even given in to Sam's nagging after she expertly trained her filly, now they worked together schooling young horses for resale. Sam was equally good at it as Jake had always been.

The men watched as the mare began a prancing walk like a dressage horse towards Jake's truck, no doubt hoping she would find her favorite master. The girl astride her flicked her head from side to side, eyes furiously searching the ranch yard. When her blue eyes landed on the men where they leant against the round corral she raised her eyebrows and let a slow smirk light her face. Wyatt noticed that his daughter had learned to imitate Jake's lazy tomcat smile as she'd grown into the sassy, quick-witted young woman. She murmured to the mare as she used her legs and a slight pressure on the reins to direct the horse towards the men at a walk.

Jake stared.

The rider had to be Sam, but it just couldn't be Sam! Her hat hung down her back, as did her long thick wavy auburn hair. The red tank top she wore was tight fitting, revealing her toned, tanned arms and clinging to her every curve. And shoot, did that girl have some nice curves. Her blue jeans, torn over one knee, encased her legs that clung to the mare as the mare walked slowly towards him. Her heart shaped face was tanned and she smirked in a way that Jake had never seen her smile. She'd perfected that lazy smile. Sam's warm blue eye's laughed at him as he stared in shock.

"Well if it ain't Jake Ely." She drawled at him as she threw her legs over Witch and slid to the ground next to the sleek black mare. "Still shy as a shadow at midday aren't ya Jake?"

Wyatt outright laughed when Jake's jaw dropped. Sam had picked up a slight western drawl a while ago, but she emphasized it now, letting her words twang in a way that was almost irritating, when years ago Jake doing the same thing had driven her mad. Sam winked at her father as she ground tied Witch ten feet away from the men.

Then she was running. Sam flat out sprinted at Jake before he could recover from his shock at her appearance and demeanor. Jake only had time to take one step forwards, away from the fence before Sam threw herself at him. Launched herself right at his chest, slamming into him with enough force to almost wind him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. And she was laughing about it. Jake spun around on the spot from the impact as she hugged him, his arms automatically latching around her to keep her from falling to the seat of her jeans in the dirt at his feet.

"Sam?" Jake asked still not entirely certain it was her, but unsure who else it could possibly be. Over her shoulder Wyatt nodded at Jake that it was her because Sam was too busy laughing at him to answer. Jake squeezed her against him, feeling that she was every bit a young woman now, rather than a sassy, irritating fifteen year old.

Two years it had been. Two long years since he'd last seen her and shoot she'd changed. Jake gave her a final squeeze before setting her on her feet in front of him. She'd grown too. Sam stood at 5 foot 8", skinny as a rail in front of him with that lazy smile back in place as she gazed up at him.

"What's the matter cowboy, don't recognize your oldest and favorite friend?" She drawled at him, an amused glint in her blue eyes. Jake fixed her with a lazy tomcat smile of his own.

"Naw, jus' thought you'd always be shorter than a fence post." He drawled back at her, his eyes laughing as they flicked over her from head to foot "Still wild as a rooster in a rattler pit though aren't ya?" He said when she stuck her tongue out at him.

Samantha couldn't keep from grinning at her oldest buddy for his drawling cowboy sayings. True she had picked up a few of her own now that she took more instructions from Dallas, the foreman of River Bend on the work for the ranch she performed every day when she wasn't in class at the community college in Reno or schooling young horses for resale with Dad.

"Dunno what you're talkin' 'bout Ely." Sam drawled with that slow lazy grin as she looked over her friend. Jake had grown again. He was now around 6 foot 5" tall, his mahogany skin glowing warmly in the afternoon sun. His Indian black hair was tied back in the leather throng he liked to use, but it was only just long enough to tie back at all. He wore washed out blue jeans and his boots with a black t-shirt and his old black Stetson.

Sam grinned, wondering how Jake, who never went anywhere without his hat, went at college. Did he wear it for all four years he was there, or did he put it away, only wearing it when he was home.

Jake chuckled at her evasiveness while Sam glanced at Wyatt. Dad just grinned a little, he didn't seem shocked at all that Jake was here, though Sam thought he wasn't going to be back until tomorrow. Sam felt something behind her a moment before Witch lowered her head over Sam's shoulder. She peered at Jake as though she longed to go to him, but wasn't certain she should.

Sam grinned as she murmured to the black mare "Come on Now, baby, don't be pretending you're all shy or Jake'll be thinking I took all the uppity right out o' ya." She drawled to the horse. Witch just flicked her ears at Sam and kept peering at Jake. "Go on now, he didn't drive all this way to see me Witchy, get on over there!" Sam told her firmly as she stepped out from beneath the mare's neck leaving a clear path to Jake.

Jake stared. He'd never seen his mare do that. Squeal offense or lunge for a bite maybe, barge her way in sure, but never in a million years would his mare have been so polite with Sam before now. Jake stood with his thumbs hanging in his pockets as the mare stepped closer to him until she butted her head against his chest. Then a mile wide grin split Jake's face. Sam smiled, knowing that no matter how much Jake had missed his horse he wouldn't pamper her in any way. Not like Sam did. Slowly Jake reached up and rubbed the mare's face beneath her forelock.

"She sure missed ya Jake." Sam murmured to him as he petted his mare. She longed to tell him that she'd missed him too, more than Witch had, but that just wasn't somethin' a cowgirl went around telling a man. Jake glanced at her with his lively eyes. Mustang eyes. That one look had Sam's stomach doing a somersault. Jake conveyed that he'd missed his horse, but that he hadn't driven all this way for just the mare in that look.

Sam handled her tumultuous feelings like any cowgirl would. She tugged her hat back up onto her head and low over her eyes before saying. "You wanna ride?" Wyatt Forster watched the face of his only daughter, then the man who'd been like a son to him. Things between them might have fallen back to comfortable friendship while Jake was off at college, but Wyatt knew something of what had transpired in the summer before Jake left. No doubt Samantha would marry Jake Ely one day. His Louise had said that as they watched Sam in her pigtails holding Jake's hand following Jake around like a puppy.

Now Sam stood there with her thumbs hung into her pockets, pulling all the tricks a cowboy used to hide any kind of expression or emotion. She didn't get that impatient look she used to when Jake took his time answering her question; she didn't fix him an irritated look at how long he took to reply. She just waited with her thumbs hooked through them pockets of hers, the image of patience and restraint. Wyatt couldn't tell for certain when his daughter had grown into a woman who matched every cowboy on this ranch for their grit and impassive expression designed to hide any sort of feeling, but he knew for certain that if Jake didn't get round to answering 'til next week Sam still wouldn't have asked him again.

Sam stood there waiting for Jake to answer her, acting like an iceberg in that she kept all her emotions beneath the surface. He kept stroking Witch as he watched her with his dark eyes. Sam knew he was looking for the impatience he'd come to expect from her, the anger and irritation at him for not talking much. Well good luck to him. She'd learned to cover any feeling with a nod or a composed expression the day he drove away to college with her heart in his back pocket.

The screen door of the house slammed closed and Sam heard footsteps scurry across the porch. Those were too light and too fast to Brynna's, who was pregnant again, and didn't have enough shuffle to them to belong to Gram. The little boy ran across the yard until Sam felt him collide with her leg. He was completely oblivious to the fact that Sam stood directly next to Witch who was known for her temper.

"Sissy… up?" he said hopefully as he tugged on Sam's jeans.

Sam looked down to see the auburn hair of her kid brother, Cody. He looked up at her with their father's eyes, pleading her with puppy dog looks to pick him up. He was a shy kid, so no doubt he wanted the comfort of Sam's arms before he considered Jake, who he had undoubtedly forgotten since his last visit.

"Hey Codster" Sam drawled at her brother before scooping down to lift him up and prop him on her hip. "Whatcha been doin' kid?" She asked him, it was strange for him to be out of the house without his hat on, he loved his kid sized Stetson as much as any range weary cowboy.

"We baked cookies Sammy, Gram said for y'all to come eat 'em." He told her with a little drawl of his own as he leaned into the circle her arms made so he looked into the face of his big sister.

"Is that right kiddo? Well now, you better run on back in there and tell Gram that Jake's here but he's comin' for a ride with me and we'll eat so of your delicious cookies after dinner tonight." Sam told him with a grin at the cute expression on her brother's face as he kept sneaking suspicious glances at the man he didn't know.

"Is he Jake?" Cody asked her in a whisper, flicking his four year old towards Jake before glancing back at Sam. Sam grinned.

"Now Codster what's Gram taught you about whisperin' in company, eh?" Sam chided him. He frowned and then looked sheepish as he said

"Ta not to!" Dad chuckled at his children and Jake looked on with interest at the way Sam handled the kid.

"That's right _'Ta not to'_ now would you like to ask him properly?" Sam asked him, smiling to soften the reprimand.

Cody blushed a little bit before he turned in her arms to face Jake and say "Are you Jake?"

Jake chuckled at that. "I am kiddo. But surely you can't be Cody Forster?" he asked the little boy. Cody beamed and puffed his chest out

"But I am." He said proudly, before he held out his small hand for Jake to shake.

"Well now Cody Forster, you're sure getting big. I remember holding ya when your head fit into my palm." Jake said rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while he held out his other one and shook hands with Cody.

"Dad are you done out here and headin' in?" Sam asked Wyatt, still holding her brother. Wyatt nodded

"Yeah, was on my in when Jake pulled up." He said, not wasting a word more than he had to. Sam nodded and set Cody back on his booted feet. "You run on now and tell Gram that Dad's comin' in for some o' them cookies, alright?" She told the little boy. He grinned at her and nodded before he took off running back to the house.

"Dad, I'll see you at dinner ok?" Sam told her Dad looking at him sideways as he moved past her towards the house.

"Sure, honey. You two have fun. Don't be long though, it's nearly dark. Brynna will be getting' hungry for her dinner soon, and you know she'll eat you share, Jake's too if ya take too long." Dad said, smiling at the appetite of his pregnant wife. Then he continued on into the house.

Sam turned away from Jake, who had taken hold of Witch's reins again and was watching Sam with curiosity in his lively brown eyes. She pretended not to notice before she strode towards the barn to find Ace's halter. It would take far too much effort to saddle him before riding out for such a short time, so Sam only grabbed his bridle before heading into his stall.

"Hey there my pretty boy." She smooched at the horse as he whinnied in greeting. "Now, do you think you'll forgive me for fibbing to you earlier Ace? It seems we'll be going for a ride after all." Sam told him as she let herself into the stall and put on his halter.

"You still babyin' that little mustang and embarrassin' him?" Came a deep voice from behind her. Sam glanced over at the stall door to see Jake leaning there peering in at her while Witch stood patiently behind him, whuffling her lips against the fabric of his shirt as her nostrils flared to catch his scent.

"Naw." Sam replied with a shrug at Jake before leading Ace out of the stall. "You comin' or what?" She called over her shoulder to Jake as she led her horse out of the barn.

"Yeah I'm comin'" Jake mumbled, following her out and watching the ease of her movement as she leapt onto Ace's back. She sat staring at him, waiting for him to mount up.

"Used to be you couldn't do that, without a leg up, a rock to stand on, or without laying all over him first, Brat." Jake told her as he leapt aboard Witch. The mare flattened her ears at the different weight of her rider compared to Sam's weight, which she had grown accustomed to in Jake's absence. Sam looked at Jake with hooded eyes before saying

"Used to be a lot of things I couldn't do Jake." She said seriously before nudging Ace into an easy lope and angling him toward the bridge.


	2. Lips

Chapter 2:

Jake nudged Witch with his boot heels and frowned in amusement at the way she flatten her ears at him before she burst forwards into a gallop. It seemed his horse was either punishing him for his extended absences or for the fact that he wasn't Sam. Jake tugged on the reins, forcing the mare to slow down before walking her in a tight circle, making her back, sidestep. All the things he'd always done to let her know he was the boss, he was in charge not her.

When the horse blew threw her lips in a sigh Jake realized that the mare hadn't been punishing him for his time away or for leaving her with Sam. She'd been testing him, testing how he handled her after such neglect. "You always were too sassy for ya own good." He told the mare before glancing up to watch Sam as she loped away from him. She looked back at him as he watched her and when she saw they were only walking she turned Ace in a wide arc before coming back towards him.

She rode with confidence and ease, making her graceful as she swung in time with her horse, sitting deep like he'd taught her to. She wore a real smile. Not the lazy smile she'd thrown around in the ranch yard, but a smile of happiness and Jake realized that even if she looked and talked nothing like the girl he'd behind she still loved horses more than anything else in the world. Jake wondered if she still snuck out of the house most night to meet her stallion at the river by moonlight.

"You slowpokes comin' or what?" She drawled at him she got within earshot. Jake looked at her seriously. The girl he'd left behind really had changed, gone was the girl who nagged him for answers when she question him. In her place was a woman with a body that made his heart race and a tough cowboy attitude towards everything. She kept tight lipped unless she was asking for something or tormenting someone. She'd learned how to handle Cody too, despite admitting to him years before that she had a better understanding of animals than humans.

"Where we headed?" Jake asked her, watching her as she sat comfortably astride her little mustang. He was probably too small for her now that she'd grown tall, but knowing Sam she would never give him up.

"Thought we'd head to War Drum Flats." She said vaguely. Jake glanced at the sky, now was about the time her mustangs would be headed for water. Jake grinned as he watched the way her eyes shifted and realized that was exactly why she wanted to head that way. "You still running yourself ragged for that horse then?" Jake said to her with his lazy tomcat grin. Sam looked back at Jake with an unreadable expression.

"You always could read my mind." She murmured, before turning Ace away and putting her heels to him. Jake was right behind her as Witch exploded forward, ensuring she wouldn't be left behind by her companions. They rode in silence towards War Drums Flats and reined their horses to a stop when they spotted the mustangs.

Jake glanced at Sam when he heard her sharp intake of breath and followed her eyes to where the Phantom picked his way down the hillside. His herd followed behind him slowly, but soon they overtook him in their rush and excitement for water. Sam's eyes never left the stallion, who had thrown his head high when he saw them watching them. Jake grinned when he heard the stallion trumpet a challenge in their direction, knowing it was aimed at him. Jake still remembered the time that stallion had charged him, thinking to protect Sam from Jake. He and that stallion certainly butted heads over Sam and as Jake watched Sam watch the stallion he couldn't help but think that'd he would fight anyone, even that damn horse for her.

Sam watched her stallion throw his head up as he scented their nearness. Her old friend had been so good to her, not once had that horse broken her heart. But boy, did he own a big piece of it. Sam loved him for his wildness, the freedom and unbreakable spirit he represented, and she loved him because in spite of that he'd given her his trust. To Sam there was no horse as important to her. Not even her precious Ace, who she loved to death, would ever take the place in her heart that her stallion filled.

Sam smiled when the Phantom trumpeted a challenge and began to prance towards them. She knew it was aimed squarely at Jake. Her two friends had never been overly tolerant of each other and Sam knew that even though she was a human and he was the king of the range, a mighty stallion, the Phantom counted her as his. Jake's return, in the stallion's mind, was like the challenge of another stallion trying to steal his mares and the Phantom was having none of it.

She turned her head when she heard Jake snort in amusement. He grinned at her when she raised her eyebrows.

"Your horse feels threatened by my place in your life." Jake told her quietly, watching her face closely as though he hoped her expression might give away exactly what that place was. She looked away from him and back at the Phantom. This was why Sam had been nervous and partially dreading Jake's return. They didn't know each other anymore. But what they'd had was real, and whether Sam would admit it or not, he still had her heart in his back pocket.

"Are you back for good now Jake?" She asked him without looking at him. It was always difficult to talk to Jake without looking at him, he said so much with his body and his expressions that his words were never enough to convey the truth or even half of the facts.

"Yeah and I'm never leavin' this place again." He said quietly in a voice that made Sam look at him. She raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. Jake just tugged his hat down so Sam couldn't see his eyes and Sam knew he was closing off, making her work for the answers she wanted. Sam sighed.

"You haven't change one bit Jake Ely." She told him. "But I'm glad you're back." She added, glancing away so he wouldn't see her smile. Jake's mouth threatened a small smile, Sam noticed as she stared at the lips that used to press against her own.

"We should head in Brat, 'fore your stallion shows me who's boss." He told her, letting a lazy tomcat smile spread across his lips as he watched her stare at them.

"Hmm" Sam hummed in agreement, without taking her eyes from Jake's lips. Sam glanced up suddenly, realizing she'd been staring and met Jake's mustang eyes. She blushed and hoped Jake hadn't noticed. But he had, she knew from the glint in his eyes and the tomcat smile on his face that he'd caught her staring and knew exactly what she'd been thinking as she did so.

Sam didn't say a word as she looked away from Jake's laughing eyes before she kicked Ace into a gallop, calling over her shoulder "Race Ya!"

Sam grinned when she heard his familiar cowboy yell split the air and felt a smile grow on her face even as Ace's mane whipped against her skin. Jake was finally home.


	3. Tease

**A/N: Hey gyuys, big thanks to all of you for your reviews. It's nice to know that my story isn't awful I hope you guys are enjoying it so far. And don't worry i have plenty of this story written ahead already. Hope you like the new Chapter. Please Review.**

**-E.**

Chapter 3:

Sam won the race back to the ranch, skidding to a halt on Ace after they crossed the bridge, her hat hanging down her back at the end of the stampede string. The ranch yard was lit up as the porch light glowed warmly, welcoming the pair home. As Sam slid off Ace she glanced over at Jake and saw him grinning.

"You know we woulda won if you hadn't cheated with your head start." He told her in amusement.

"You keep tellin' yourself that Cowboy." Sam replied in a drawl as she led Ace into the barn and removed his bridle, turning him loose in his stall. Her horse looked at her in astonishment when she left the stall and closed the door in his face without brushing him down. "Don't give me that look, you didn't even work up a sweat from your run and I'm late for dinner." She told him as she waited for Jake to leave Witch's stall.

When he did his face was unreadable as the light from the barn cast shadows off his high cheekbones. Sam stood with her thumbs hanging from her pockets as she waited until Jake stood next to her. Just as she was about to take a step in the direction of the house she felt Jake sling his arm around her shoulders. Surprised she tried to look up at him, but he had his face turned towards her, looking over her head as he quietly said,

"It's good to see you Brat." Sam smiled, knowing that was as good as she was going to get on his feelings. He'd missed her. Sam felt her stomach do another somersault. Before he could take his arm away Sam snaked hers around his waist, pressing her side against his and giving him a light squeeze.

"I missed you too Jake." She told him. Sam sensed him smile, even though she couldn't see his face. She started walking towards the house, not letting go of him so he had to walk in step with her. He showed no sign of wanting to let her go though. As they stepped onto the porch Sam felt her heart squeeze when Jake pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he let go of her shoulders and reached for the door handle.

"Oh and Jake?" Sam said as he turned the knob, he glanced over at her "Fair warning: Brynna's pregnant again." Sam told him. She laughed when Jake froze. He didn't look like moving either as he stared at her hard; clearly unsure he wanted to enter the kitchen confronted with an emotional, pregnant Brynna Forster. Sam reached out, wrapping her hand around his on the door knob and pulling the door open. Sam grinned at the feel of his warm skin against her palm. She could also feel him tense when she touched him.

Sam was enjoying making him uncomfortable so she let her fingers trail over the back of his hand and made sure to brush against his chest as she ducked under his arm and slid past him through the door.

Jake's whole body went tense as Sam wrapped her small hand around his own large one on the door knob. He'd been shocked by her words, but was completely thrown by her actions. She ducked under his arm, her curved figure brushing against him as she slipped past, her warm finger trailing teasingly across the back of his hand. Jake gulped. Hard.

Then she disappeared into the kitchen without so much as a glance over her shoulder. Jake took a deep steadying breath before he followed her in.

"Jake Ely it's been far too long since you were in this kitchen of mine." Gram said when she spotted Jake, swooping towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist in a hug after Jake hung up his hat next to Sam's. Sam grinned as Jake looked uncomfortable being hugged.

"Can say that again." Jake said to her as he glanced around the kitchen. Nothing in the house had changed and Jake saw that Sam stood in the doorway that led to the hallway with her thumbs hooked in her pockets. In the corner of the kitchen, curled up together were Blaze and the coydog Sam had given to Jake for his eighteenth birthday, Singer.

"Go on upstairs with Sam and wash up. We waited for the two of you to get back before eating, much to Brynna's displeasure. Get on, now." Gram said, shooing him towards the stairs where Sam waited. Jake strode towards her, noticing the way Sam leant in the doorframe. She rested her lower back in the frame and had her head tilted back, leaning on the wood, but her back arched slightly, causing her chest to stick out from the wall in a way that had Jake biting his bottom lip to keep from groaning.

As he stepped away from Grace, Jake's eyes roved Sam's curvy figure, noting again that her red tank top clung to her body in ways that should be illegal. As he looked he noticed that the top was faded and didn't quiet meet her jeans where they rode low on her hips and he realized it was the same shirt she'd worn at thirteen. His eyes were drawn to the strip of exposed skin at her hips, even there she seemed to be tanned, as though she wore small shirts too often. When Jake let his eyes rove back up her body Sam turned her head, with it still tilted back against the door frame and met his eyes. She smiled a smile that Jake could only describe as seductive, just for a moment her eyes filled with warmth and Jake swore he saw her eyes twinkle.

"Come on Cowboy." She murmured as she pushed herself off the door frame and headed for the stairs, grinning at Jake over her shoulder. Jake followed her feeling like a man possessed. His body burned and his heart faltered out a skipping thumping beat. When Sam climbed the stairs Jake was right behind her and he very nearly did groan at the way her hips swung from side to side as she took each step.

He followed her into the bathroom and stood back to let her wet her hands and lather them up before he did the same. As they stood there scrubbing at their arms with soap Jake and Sam watched each other. Sam watched Jake with warmth in her blue eyes and the hint of a smile playing at her mouth. Jake looked back at her, trying to keep the hunger out of his expression.

"So do your folks know your home yet Jake?" Sam asked with a grin, Jake blinked back at her, realizing that she already knew they didn't, knowing him well enough to know he would come home a day earlier than he'd told his mother to expect him in hopes of avoiding the coming home party she had no doubt planned.

"Nope." He told her as he tried not to blush at the croak in his voice. The smile Sam fixed him took his breath away. She rinsed the soap off her arms and dried them without speaking, all the while smiling at him in a way that had Jake staring at her full red lips.

"Hey Dad?" Sam called as she walked to the bathroom doorway.

"What Sam?" Wyatt Forster's voice called back from downstairs.

Sam grinned over her shoulder at Jake who looked bewildered. "Jake's folks aren't expecting him 'til tomorrow and Jake and I haven't seen each other in ages. Is it ok if we have a camp out in the barn?" Sam called down the stairs as she left Jake standing in the bathroom in shock.

For several long moments Jake held his breath before Wyatt said gruffly "Yeah alright!" Sam laughed triumphantly on the stairs while Jake thought he just might die there in the Forster's bathroom.

"Who said I wanna spend the night with you Brat?" Jake called trying to keep his cowboy demeanor.

It was going to be a very long night.

Sam laughed in triumph when Dad agreed to let Jake stay the night. She hadn't had a campout in ages and she knew for a fact that if either of them wanted any sleep they would have to sleep in sleeping bags in the barn. No way in the world would Sam be able to sleep with Jake on her floor or in her bed.

Since she'd grown taller, Sam had outgrown the bed that used to sit in her room, it was now Cody's bed and the double bed that had once served as a guest bed was now hers. No doubt Dad and Jake would try to insist that they sleep in different stalls or something ridiculous though.

Sam wasn't really sure what had come over her this evening, but the feel of Jake's lips pressed to her hair and the memories of the way it felt to kiss him were enough to drive her crazy. The things she had told Dad were true of course, they hadn't really caught up yet and it had been so long since they'd seen each other. But the way Jake had looked at her downstairs was doing funny things to Sam's body, she felt feverish and shivery and her lips tingled to be pressed firmly against someone else's. Sam had a feeling there was only a certain someone that would satisfy that tingling too.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs Sam realized that despite his question, Jake was still in the bathroom. She grinned. "Oh Jake" she called in a singsong voice like the one she used to use when they were kids. "Dinner's ready." She called again, grinning when she saw his feet at the top of the stairs. Jake looked pale beneath his mahogany skin when he walked into the kitchen and took his seat next to Sam. The rest of the Forster family members were all in the kitchen except Brynna and Sam grinned at her step-mother when she came with her eyes fixed on Jake. Maybe she didn't recognize him.

"Jake Ely is that really you?" She asked him, rubbing at her sleepy eyes. Brynna was due to have the baby next week, so she was permanently tired because the baby squirming kept her awake.

Jake gave her a small smile.

"Hi Brynna." He murmured, "Congratulations." He added with a nod at Brynna's pregnant stomach.

"Thank you." Brynna sighed tiredly "Any day now." She murmured as she rubbed her distended stomach before lowering herself slowly into the chair Dad had pulled out for her.

When dinner was over and the dishes were done Sam skipped up the stair to find sleeping bags for her and Jake. She found them in the bottom of the cupboard, pulling out the one Dad usually used for Jake to borrow. She left them on the top step before going into the bathroom and brushing her teeth. There was no use showering, Sam decided, since they were sleeping in the dusty barn anyway. She'd just pit on something comfortable to sleep in rather than her jeans. Although no way was she sleeping in her night gown, not in front of Jake! No, a pair of grey sweat pants would do just fine, Sam decided, stripping off her dirty jeans and pulling on the cool sweat pants.

Slowly Sam dragged a brush through her long auburn hair, checking her reflection in the mirror. Could be worse, Sam supposed, before turning away and skipping back into the hall and almost running head first into Jake.

"Oops!" Sam said, looking up at Jake, he smiled at her.

"Still don't watch where you're going, Do ya Brat?" Jake said in his deep voice. Sam smiled at the tiny quiver that raced through her at the sound of his voice. Then she noticed he had a big green duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Probably had clothes in it, Sam thought to herself.

"I watch where I'm going just fine" she said, fixing him a lazy smile while her eyes twinkled "I blame you entirely for the fact that we always run into each other. This is what happens when you try to stick to a girl like glue Cowboy." She told him, remembering when she had first returned home from San Francisco and he'd told her he'd stick to her to make sure she didn't get hurt again. Jake's eye darkened at the memory and Sam wondered if the reminder of his words from so many years ago pointed out the fact that even though she'd needed him, he'd been away for the last four years.

Jake shrugged his wide shoulders at her but didn't say anything. Yep, same old Jake, thought Sam.

"So, uh, what were you doin' out here, lyin' in wait for a sneak attack?" Sam asked, looking him straight in the eye. Those mustang eyes haunted Sam's dreams at night sometimes.

"Naw, you're too easy to sneak up on. I was just gonna chuck this in your room and get outta my jeans. That alright?" Jake said to her, his eyes darting away from her stare, before flicking back again.

Had Jake ever been in her room before? Sam couldn't remember. Even if he had, she had made some changes in their since she was fifteen. Sam reached down to slide her thumbs into her pockets before remembering she'd taken off her jeans and realizing her sweats didn't have pockets. Instead she slipped them into her waist band, enjoying the way Jake's eyes watched her hands.


	4. Heartbreak

**A/N: Hey guys thanks again for your reviews. They are very encouraging. Now you may hav noticed this story being updated a chapter a day. Well I already have chapt 5 and half of 6 written but i'm going away for the weekend. I look forward to having maybe ten review for when i get back so I can update again. Thanks for the love guys.**

**-E.**

Chapter 4:

"Do you promise not to laugh?" she said, looking at the floor as she asked the question. Then she had to look to Jake's face to see his reaction. He raised his eyebrows

"At what?" he asked her in his low voice, making Sam shiver again. Instead of answering Sam spun around and walked back into her room, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Jake followed her.

Sam looked around her room speculatively, trying to see it as Jake would.

He patchwork quilt from her old bed was folded neatly at the foot of her double bed, the quilt was solid red. The carpet was the same as it had ever been. All of her furniture except her bed was the same as always. It was the walls she thought Jake would laugh at. On the wall next to her cupboard she had a canvas picture that measured 26" by 38". On that canvas she had paid to have the picture she had taken for the Night Magic photography competition printed to it. The picture of Jake carrying Faith, a blind mustang foal, out of the hot springs in a snowstorm.

She had several large picture frames too. The collage type that let you put multiple pictures all in one frame. In the middle of the biggest one was a rearing picture of the phantom at the river, the moon burned bright behind him, casting him to pure silver power. The angle of the picture suggested Sam had been within meters of the rearing stallion. Another showed a picture of her and Jen, all dressed up for their senior Prom. Sam hadn't wanted to go, but Jen insisted because Ryan had asked her.

After a week's worth of dilemma and tossing up which guy she could possibly ask since Jake wasn't an option, Sam had finally worked up the courage to ask Pepper if he'd go with her. The cowboy with chili-pepper colored hair had blushed so hard his face went a brighter shade of red than his hair. Even though the expression on his face had been hilarious Pepper had agreed, after he had verified with Wyatt that it was ok first. Dad had been a little surprised but told them to go right ahead.

The picture of her and Jen in their dresses had been taken by Maxine Ely. The girls stood with their arms around each other in the gym at Darton High. Sam had worn her hair up and riddled with daisy's, like a picture she had seen of her Mom's hair on her and Dad's wedding day. She'd worn a full length dress the color of melted chocolate with a full skirt and spaghetti straps. Brynna had done Sam's make-up, making her eyes smoky and her lips ruby red.

Next to her, Jen wore her blonde hair in a fancy bun on top of her head, pinned with tiny clips adorned with fake gems that sparkled in every color. Her Mom had helped her with it. Her dress was strapless in pale blue and cinched tight around Jen's slim waist with a large pin and hidden by a huge bow. Her make-up complimented her dress perfectly and her lips were a sweet pink.

In another photo she stood with Pepper's arms around her shoulder at the Prom, both of them were laughing. He wore a suit and had even taken his cowboy hat off for the occasion, baring his red hair to the world. Sam smiled remembering how he'd blushed when she told him he looked handsome.

Another photo was taken of her and Jake, both dressed up nicely from the time he had finally plucked up the courage to stutter out a request that she attend his Prom with him as his date. He'd asked at the New Year's Eve bonfire held here at River Bend. For that occasion Sam had made alterations to and worn the green dress she had worn as bridesmaid to Brynna for her marriage to Dad. Jake had looked amazing, all cleaned up in the suit his Mom had forced on him. He'd worn his boots though. The picture showed them dancing, carefully holding onto each other, as though afraid to do anything more than revolve on the spot. Sam could remember the look in Jake's eyes that night though. The one that stole her breath and had her tummy doing somersaults. He'd kissed her for the first time that night, there in the gym in front of everyone. Darrell had been such a pain after that, as he teased both of them mercilessly. It had been worth it though, to have Jake as her first kiss.

Other photo's showed her holding Cody with one arm as he perched in front of her where she sat astride Ace, Dad and Brynna dancing in the ranch yard at dusk, Gram with flour dusted over one of her cheeks and her grey hair falling out of its bun while she smiled as she pointed at the camera with her rolling pin. Others showed Jen and Ryan kissing in a stall over at Harmony Ranch, Cody perched on Tinkerbell's back, Ace trying to nuzzle the camera, Quinn Adam and Brian Ely clustered as they sat astride their respective horses each of them fixing her a slow smile while on the cattle drive in the spring, Pepper Ross and Dallas sitting around the porch of the Bunkhouse, Jen on a rearing Silly her hat in mid air flying off her head.

More pictures showed Ally and Darrell leaning against each other and smiling for Sam, Mac Ely, Jake's Grandfather, as he petted Gal, the Ely's dog in their yard as the sun went down behind them. In one Dad stood leaning against the side of the barn with a piece of straw hanging from his mouth and his hat on, every bit a real cowboy. Sam had won an award for the picture of Dad.

Sam, her hair in two long plaits with daisy's through the end's pointing to something on the ground in Gram's vegetable garden while Cody squatted next to her. Cody asleep on Blaze on the floor in the Kitchen, Witch and Ace touching noses, Sam curled up in a squirming ball trying to escape Quinn's tickling hands. Sam surrounded by all four Ely boys that were still living out here, excluding Kit and Jake, her hair shining vibrant red surrounded by so many black haired men, Cougar caught climbing the Christmas tree and trying to look innocent as he clung to the branches, Tempest bucking in the Ten acre pasture.

Sam watched Jake's eyes as he took his time looking at each picture individually. She knew he hadn't come to the most important ones yet. If he had he would be staring at her in confusion not smiling at the pictures that made up snapshots of her life. There was one large collage picture frame that held ten pictures. Sam was almost tempted to hide the frame before Jake could see it.

Jake could feel Sam's eyes on him as he looked over the hundreds of pictures she had in huge frames. She had so many and some of them surprised him. The large one of The Phantom rearing in the moonlight had him clenching his jaw to keep from telling her she shouldn't have been that close to him. But he'd seen a copy of that picture already.

She had a canvas with him holding Faith as a foal. It was huge. Jake remembered the day she'd taken it. He'd been mad at her for taking pictures of him when she should be helping with the foal she'd insisted on saving. But he'd already been angry at her for being out in the snowstorm alone, when she should have been with Jen. She shouldn't have been there at all, she should have been where it was warm and safe. The day stuck in his memory too because it was the day his horse had proved him wrong and let Sam climb up behind him to ride double. Looking back, that day was probably the day he started to fall for her.

Others were even more confusing. The one of her surrounded by his older brothers had him glancing through their positions anxiously, jealousy flaring at the idea that in his absence she may very well have fallen for one of his no doubt charming brothers. The one of her curled on Quinn as he tickled her mercilessly made him frown. Her and Jen in their Prom dresses had him smiling. Sam looked so beautiful; he wished he could have been here to take her. Instead she had Pepper's arm around her as they both laughed at something that must have been hilarious.

Others were funny ones she must have taken herself of her family and her horses and their friends. Jake nearly laughed at the one of Darrell. The one of his horse and hers touching noses made him long to have back the day he'd left for college. So many things he would've changed. Jake smiled when he came to the picture of the two of them dancing at his Prom. He'd thought his luck would run out when he'd taken a huge breath in before taking her hand at the New Year's Eve bonfire here. His thoughts had been drifting to Sam almost constantly before he got up the nerve to ask her to his Prom. He'd wanted to kiss her that night, when they shouted in the New Year, Jake had longed to pull her closer than the hug she'd given him.

Her other photos showed snippets of time in her life. Events he'd missed, views he would usually never have seen. Jake knew Sam was private about her room too, so he felt… awed…. That she'd let him in here where her could see all these. Then he noticed another frame filled with pictures, it was placed so that anyone looking at those pictures could sit in the window seat she had there in her room. Jake moved towards it assuming it had even better pictures because she'd placed it where she could stare at them for hours.

Sam panicked when Jake headed towards the other frame. The ten pictures in that collage frame held only images of her and Jake.

In one Sam sat curled up on Jake's lap, he had his arms around her waist and neither of them wore their hats. In another Jake slept on the lounge in the Ely's living room, Sam was asleep on his chest and his strong arms held her tightly, as though even in sleep he feared she would try something crazy. Jake's Mum had taken that one and had given it to Sam when Sam had mentioned that she missed Jake once whilst visiting over at Three Ponies a few years ago.

In another photo Sam sat astride Ace and Jake was on Witch, they were in front of the barn at River Bend, but they looked at each other, both grinning like fools. Another showed the two of them sitting in the barn leaning on hay bales while Singer slept with his body on Jake but his head in Sam's lap. In one Jake rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable as he stood in the yard while Sam stood in front of him with her arms folded. One showed them at the bonfire after Jake had asked Sam to his Prom, they were on the porch, leaning back on their hands, they even looked in different directions, but the hand they each had closest to the other had intertwined fingers and smiles threatened on both their faces. Another showed Sam wrapped in Jake's arms with her arms around his neck as they kissed next to the barn at River Bend.

The final three photos were the ones Sam didn't want Jake to see, all three had been taken by Gram the day Jake left for college. One was the picture that showed Sam and Jake clinging to each other in the ranch yard at River Bend, kissing each other so passionately looking at it still made Sam blush. The picture was taken just after Jake told her he loved her. The next showed Sam standing in the yard as Jake drove towards the bridge, the picture even showed the way his lively brown mustang eyes watched her in the rear vision mirror rather than where he was driving.

The final picture would break his heart.

It showed Jake's truck in the distance, but the foreground displayed Sam as she had turned back towards the house faced with losing him. Sam hadn't made it far. There in the middle of the ranch yard Sam had fallen to her knees with tears streaming down her face, her hands clutching fistfuls of her hair on top of her head.

Sam remembered that day as it burned again in her chest. That picture had captured one of the worst moments of her life. The stinging ache in her chest as Jake left her behind. The hopeless feeling she felt as she turned, hoping to rush inside to hide her pain in her room, knowing there was no way she could make it that far. She'd fallen to her knees in the dirt, her heart breaking. That day Jake had told her he loved her. Sam had whispered back that she loved him too. Then he'd told her that he'd like her to wait for him, but knew it wasn't fair to ask her to. He'd broken it off, getting in his truck before her mind had processed his words. Then he'd driven away.

Sam remembered the way she had screamed at the pain in her chest as he drove away with her heart in his back pocket. Only Gram had been home. Brynna had taken Cody to the doctors and all the cowboys were on the range, even Dad. Gram had come out of the house, running across the porch, her apron dropped on the ground as she hurried towards her broken hearted granddaughter. She'd knelt there in the dirt with Sam, wrapping Sam into a hug so tight Sam knew Gram was trying to hold her heart together for her. Gram had rocked her there in the yard, crooning to her and singing the lullaby's she used to sing when Sam was small. When Gram had finally gotten her inside she had sent her up to her room and bought her tea and biscuits and held her until Sam couldn't cry anymore.

By the time Dad and the cowboys, and Brynna and Cody got home Sam had locked down her emotions so hard her jaw had ached from clenching her teeth. She clammed up like a cowboy. It had taken Sam a long time to un-clam herself too. Jen had been fretting like crazy, knowing Sam was hurting and hiding it. Knowing Sam forced her mouth to smile, her throat to make conversation. To act normal. Only Gram had known the truth of her breakdown.

Sam watched Jake as he moved towards them, her mind telling her the best solution to this situation right now would be just to leave the room and let him look. Instead of waiting to watch his response, Sam spun on her heel and left the room, pulling the door closed silently and wondering if Jake had even heard her leave. She leaned her back against her bedroom door as she stood in the dark hallway. All of those pictures had been given to her by her friends or family members in the weeks after Jake's departure. Sam supposed they had all hoped they could help her get back to normal, to ease the ache of missing him, to turn her back into the girl who laughed.

The only thing that had helped had been the Phantom. Every night in the Fall he came to the river by moonlight, and every night Sam cried against his strong silver neck until she had no more tears. Sometimes he let her ride him, other times he slung his head over her shoulder in the closest gesture he could manage as a hug.

After that she had thrown herself into everything she did with everything she had. Her school grades shot up to A's in every subject, even algebra. Her journalism teacher couldn't give her enough stories. She searched out every possible photography competition she could in the country, she'd even entered one held in Canada and won it. She pushed herself to get her chores done faster, pestering Dad and Dallas for more work. She worked every day with Tempest until she had the filly so quiet and responsive to a rider's instructions it was almost impossible to tell both of her parents had been mustangs. She became the best cowgirl she could be, letting go of her fear of falling and sometimes even the fear of dying, it couldn't hurt anymore than her heart had. Sam had thrown herself into being the best big sister Cody could have.

She'd thrown herself so hard at life and pumped so much joy into what she did to keep her mind off her pain, that Gram once told her Sam reminded her so much of Louise that it hurt.

There were other side effects of Sam's growth as she pushed herself so hard, doing anything, just as long as it kept her busy. The things Sam had always relied on Jake to do or say or help her with became things she needed to know for herself. Dad had even told her that she got more like Jake with every passing day.

Sam had wracked her brain for everything he'd taught her about tracking and could now successfully track most anything. She thrown herself at horse training and riding with everything she could remember from Jake's comments or teaching and the things Dad had taught her, combining that with her own capability of thinking like a horse, until she rode with newfound confidence.

As the door closed Jake pulled his shirt off over his head, noticing again the tattoo he had over his heart. He loved that tattoo. Still holding his shirt Jake scanned the pictures in the frame. They were easy to look at in the moonlight. Then he realized that these were only of Sam and him. In every picture their crazy headlong plunge into love was depicted.

Sam was in every one of them so Jake wondered who had taken them. The one of her sitting curled up in his lap must have been Jen. It had been taken at his place in the spring before the cattle drive. Neither of them looked at the camera, Sam might even have had her eyes closed as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Jake had thought they were alone in the barn that night.

His eyes fell on one he'd surely never known about, but it was obvious his mother had taken it. Jake slept lengthways on the lounge on his back. Sam had herself position between his legs and over his stomach. Her head rested on his chest and even in sleep she smiled as though she was happy to be snuggled to him. Jake smiled when he saw his arms held her tightly despite being asleep, even while he slept his subconscious tried to keep her safe. He'd have to ask his mother if she had any other copies. He wanted one for himself.

Another was taken here at River Bend, by maybe Brynna or Grace. It looked like it might have been taken from the porch but it showed them both on horses before going out riding as they grinned at each other in excitement. All of these pictures seem to have been taken of them when they weren't posing. As though the photographers found their relationship exciting in the moments when they were too caught up to notice. Jake felt himself blush, wondering how many other moments that he'd believed to be private had been captured forever on film.

The next one had to have been taken by Brynna. Jake stood rubbing his neck and looking uncomfortable while Sam stood with her arms crossed in front of him. They'd been arguing like always, their first fight as a couple because she was going mad about him being too protective. How had Brynna managed to capture the image of their fight and make it portray the most common image Jake had ever in his mind when he thought of the two of them?

Another photo was of them in the barn with Singer asleep on both of them while they talked about training Tempest. Jake suspected Grace was behind this one. He remembered she had wandered into the barn and given Ace and Tempest a carrot each. The picture showed Sam with her eyes glowing in excitement at the prospect of training her filly. Jake remembered sitting there thinking she looked beautiful all lit up like that.

The next picture her saw, he was uncertain who might have been the photographer. He and Sam sat on the porch after Jake had asked her to be his date for Prom. They didn't sit very close together, they didn't even look at each other, but as they both reclined Jake had intertwined his fingers with hers there on the porch. Jake grinned when he noticed that both of their faces threatened smiles. He hadn't known then that Sam used all the same facial expressions he did. Like the way she had that lazy smile now.

The picture of them kissing behind the barn was probably taken by Jen or maybe even Darrell. Jake grinned as he thought back to the spring fever barbeque Grace had insisted become a tradition. From somewhere they had pulled together some wood to burn and after filling up on pie and biscuits Jake had asked Sam to dance. His brothers thought it was hilarious but Jake hadn't really cared, he'd been focused on the smile on Sam's face as she took his hand and let him whirl her around the yard, no doubt clumsily while the boys played some music. When everybody had been distracted Sam had tugged his hand to get him to follow her behind the barn. Then she'd given him a wicked little smile before pulling his face down so she could kiss him.

Jake dropped his shirt as he looked at the next picture. These were from the day he'd left. Grace must have taken them. He and Sam clung to each other, Jake's arms tight around Sam as he poured every feeling he had for her into that kiss. It was after he'd had a long think about it and realized that he was in love with her. The type of love that made him do and say stupid things, like think about not bothering with college so he could stay with her. He remembered his own shock at how clear and strong his voice had sounded as he told her and the feeling that rushed through him when she'd whispered those three little words back to him. Filled with desire and an aching urgency Jake had crushed her to him, kissing her as though she was oxygen and he was drowning.

He'd never wanted to let her go. A crazy part of him had wanted to drop to one knee there in front of her and ask her to marry him. Even though she was only fifteen.

The next picture hurt. Sam stood in the yard in her jeans and a black tank top with her back to the camera as she stared after his truck as he drove towards the bridge. He even saw his own eye reflected in his rear vision mirror watching her. He'd told her he hoped she'd wait but that it wasn't his place to ask her too. Then he'd kissed her forehead and almost run for his truck to keep himself from getting down on one knee.

Jake's heart stopped as his eyes landed on the final picture. The photographer had captured the image as Sam faced the house while his truck grew smaller as he drove away. But Jake barely saw his truck in the background. What he saw was the girl he loved on her knees in the middle of the ranch yard, her hands pulling so hard on her hair that she looked to nearly rip it out and tears streaming down her grief stricken face. His fists clenched as he looked at the pain the girl he loved was in because of him. The image burned itself into his brain. Jake had never seen so much pain on the face of anyone, but especially not on the face of his Sam.

He'd seen her so angry she told him she hated him and that she wanted to strangle him. So worried for her horse or her friends or family that she was barely recognizable as she fretted. So happy that she seemed glow from within as she knocked him on his ass with the joy in her smiles and flying so high with happiness that she seemed delirious. But never in the eighteen years he'd known her had he seen her in so much pain. That image of her tearing her hair out on her knees as fat tears rolled down her cheeks hurt him even more than the image of her unconscious on the range after her colt had bucked her off and kicked her in the head.

He had to find her.

Sam was jolted out of her thoughts as the door she leaned against was pulled open. Sam fell to the floor and couldn't even be bothered to move so she just ay back against the floor in her doorway, laughing softly. Jake towered over her.

"You always could knock me on my ass." She muttered looking up at him. Her shoulders had landed on his feet so her head was actually on the floor in between his ankles. He must have taken his shirt off while he was looking at the pictures because he stood there shirtless and angry. Sam could see where he'd dropped it on her floor.

"Samantha." He said seriously. Jake's voice was lower than Sam had ever heard it. Lower even than the first time he'd kissed her.

"Jacob?" Sam replied softly, still lying at his feet in her doorway. Jake bent down and slid his warm hand beneath her shoulders, lifting her with such ease and speed that Sam squeaked. Then he nudged her door closed with his foot and Sam realized he'd taken his boots and socks off. His feet were bare. He had normal feet of course but he looked so exposed without shoes that Sam giggled. Jake used his grip on her shoulders to spin her so that she was facing him.

Her room was dark, but in the moonlight that streamed through her window Sam could see his silhouette. He stood directly in front of her and he had his arms crossed. And Shoot did Jake look good with no shirt on! His broad shoulders were imposing, which combined with his height would make him a scary guy if he wasn't so shy. Sam bit her lips as she let her gaze travel over his strong arms and chest and tight abdominal muscles. He had a dark spot against his mahogany skin on his chest, directly over his heart. Did Jake have a birth mark? Sam didn't think so. A tattoo maybe?

Sam really didn't want to meet his eyes. His hair was loose too, swinging around his shoulders. His mouth was set in a hard line. Sam flinched when she looked into his angry brown eyes.

"Any particular reason you got no shirt on?" She asked him, flicking her eyes to the floor, only to look away from his bare feet. Instead Sam stared at the mark on his chest, wondering what is was. Jake growled. He actually made a snarling sound in his throat like a wild animal. Sam bit down harder on her lips to keep from giggling.

"In my entire life I've never known anyone as frustrating and as capable at driving me insane with anger then You Samantha Forster!" Jake growled at her angrily. His eyes dared her to contradict him or interrupt in any way.

"Something wrong Jake?" Sam asked, trying to keep the singsong lilt from her tone as a lazy smile spread across her face. Jake's arm twitched and Sam wondered if he had them tightly crossed to keep from strangling her. Sam grinned when he made another noise of frustration.

"You drive me crazy!" Jake exclaimed angrily.

"Aww, thanks Darlin' but I'm spoken for." Sam drawled at him, her voice packed with so much sarcasm she giggled.

Jake looked so shocked that Sam outright laughed at him.

"Samantha!" he said sharply his hands shooting out to latch onto her shoulders firmly

"Jacob!" Sam said, imitating his sharp tone. She knew she shouldn't bait him, but if she didn't keep bugging him this conversation was going to turn into a dark painful drawn out nightmare, then they would probably argue.

Suddenly Jake let all the tension and anger drain out of his muscles and off his face. He stared down at her with his brown mustangs eyes, showing her his confusion. Sam sighed, Damn Jake for knowing her better than anyone else. With everyone else she might have pulled on the cowgirl act, closing off her face and body, giving away nothing of her feelings, but she'd never been able to do that with Jake. He knew her too well to fall for it for very long. His dark mustang eyes cut through her no matter how much she clouded the truth with tough talk or sarcasm.

"What Jake?" she asked softly as his eyes searched her face.

One of his hands left her shoulder to rub the back of his neck, but Jake didn't let his eyes leave her face.

"I don't understand." He told her softly, so softly that Sam knew it hurt him to say those words.

Sam bit her lip and kept looking right back at him. If anyone could read her it was Jake.

"Which bit?" Sam murmured softly after they stood silent and staring at each for several minutes.

"All of it." He replied, his hand left her to flutter towards her pictures, then fluttered indicatively in front of her. Sam knew what he meant, she knew him well enough to know he was confused by the changes in her attitude, her demeanor, her appearance.

"The pictures were gifts." Sam told him softly, she hesitated before adding "Even if they hadn't been, they still be there." She'd let him think about that one on his own. She may have clammed up and put on this cold-eyed cowgirl face as an act to hide her pain at first, but now it was like second nature, even with Jake. While his eyes reacted to her words he held his face in a blank expression.

Sam reached out slowly with her right hand and used the very tips of her fingers to touch the black mark on Jake's chest. She couldn't see what it was in the dark of her room, but when she touched it Sam realized it was a tattoo.

Jake had a tattoo.

Jake hated tattoos.

Jake flinched when she touched him, startled by the action. Sam realized that though he had been staring at her face he was lost in thought. His eyes focused back on her face, Sam could feel them, but she didn't look away from the tattoo as she tried to make out the picture. Her palm rested against Jake's chest as her fingertips brushed over the tattoo and Sam could feel his heart beat against her skin. She could even feel it skip a beat when her hand brushed against his dark nipple.

Sam heard Jake's breath catch.

She watched his eyes flare. Even in the shadow of his face with the moon behind him Sam could still see the heat flare in his eyes. It was so much stronger now. When they'd been together for that one summer there had been a faint heat that sometimes entered his eyes as he looked at her but now it flared bright and burned against Sam's skin.

They weren't kids anymore.


	5. Right

**A/N Hey guys, thanks again for your wonderful reviews. =) I'm so glad you like this story. I've been having a lot of fun writing it. I love dreaing up the scenarios. I hope you like my latest chapter. Pls Review.**

**-E.**

Chapter 5:

For several tense minutes Sam and Jake stared at each other. Sam wanted so badly to grab him and pull him to her. To press her lips against his as she slid her hands into his inky black hair. To kiss him until neither of them could see straight anymore.

Sam's whole body felt like it was on fire as Jake watched her with searing heat in his eyes. Her hand still rested lightly against his chest, her fingers frozen in place on the tattoo over his heart. Her lips tingled with new insistence at the thought of kissing him, her blood raced through her veins as her heart pounded wildly.

Jake stood frozen in front of her, only his hot gaze moving as his eyes blazed a fiery path over her body. Sam could feel the tiny tremors that shot through her as he stared hungrily. Moving slowly, as though he feared he'd spook her, Jake lifted his arm until his warm hand wrapped around Sam's where it rested against his bare chest. Sam heart fluttered in her chest when he didn't push it away. Instead he held her hand there against his chest, staring down at her hungrily while Sam stared up at him, longing to kiss him.

Moving as slowly as Jake had, Sam slid her feet forwards over her thin carpet as she bought her free hand up to rest it on the side of Jake's neck. They stood with only a few millimeters separating their bodies. Jake's free hand, which had been rubbing at the back of his neck slid slowly down the length of Sam's arm and over her shoulder. He let his warm hand travel slowly beneath her thick auburn hair to rest on the nape of her neck, tilting her head up slightly. Sam held her breath as they stood frozen like that until Jake breathed

"Sam?"

She knew it was a question. Knew he was asking her if it was ok for him to kiss her. Sam gave him a small wicked smile and let go of the breath she'd been holding. Jake took that as all the permission he needed.

Dipping his head an inch, Jake's warm lips captured Sam's. Sam's hand tightened on the side of Jake's neck as he kissed her slow and careful. In spite of the urgent heat she'd seen in his wild brown eyes Jake took his time, kissing her gently as though he expected her to push him away at any moment. His lips brushed over hers softly and Sam realized he was holding himself back, not wanting to rush her. His tongue swept softly against hers and Sam reveled in the sweetness of this kiss.

With her eyes closed Sam felt Jake let go of her hand before his arm slid around her lower back, pulling her closer to him until their bodies pressed together in a way that made Sam's heart flutter wildly. She slid her hand up his chest and over his shoulder, letting it tunnel into his long hair. She'd always liked Jake's hair best when it was long and wild. The way it looked when he rode and it came loose of the throng he used to tame it, how it tossed in the wind like the mane of a wild stallion.

The kiss was long and sweet and deliberate. Sam could feel the warmth and passion begin to burn inside her as she took control of their kiss. Where Jake kissed carefully, with slow deliberateness and no insisting pressure, Sam threw herself into the kiss, her tongue sweeping faster against his, her lips pressing harder, her hand tightening into a fist in his hair. Jake didn't seem to mind. His arm around her waist tightened, pressing her against his hard body with delicious pressure. The hand he had on her neck trailed a hot path down her back and Sam grinned when she felt his strong arms use their grip on her waist to lift her off her feet.

Sam took it as a dare.

While Jake lifted her feet off the ground Sam wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles against his back as she kissed him in a way that demanded passion. She could feel the corners of his mouth twitch in a smile as her kissed dared him to let go. Sam knew he was holding back, not letting himself lose control and she wasn't having it. Using the strength in her thighs Sam tightened her legs around his waist, her fist in his hair tightened until she knew she was pulling it as she kissed him furiously. Her lips were hard and demanding as she felt her own passion build in her body. Sam could feel herself trembling in his arms as her tongue danced with his.

Her nose was filled with Jake's scent. He always smelled a little like horse, a lot like the Imperial Leather Soap he used and just a bit like something spicy that she couldn't put her finger on. A long time ago Sam had been convinced that there was no smell better in the world than the smell of horses.

She'd been wrong.

There was no scent in the world better than Jake.

Sam could feel Jake's iron grip on his self control begin to slip. His arms braced against her back, pressing her even harder against him and his hands gripped her shoulders tightly. His tongue swept against hers with increased pressure and Sam grinned when he made a tiny sound I his throat. If she didn't know better Sam might think that Jake had just groaned at how well she kissed.

She wasn't expecting that he would let go though. If her tongue hadn't been dancing with his Sam would have gasped. She could feel the exact moment when Jake gave up trying to keep himself under control because his kiss became urgent and demanding as he plundered her mouth like a pirate with a treasure chest. One hand slid up the back of her shirt and Sam felt her toes curl in ecstasy. She was so wrapped up in the feel of his kiss, the warmth of his strong arms, the silkiness of his hair that she almost didn't hear the knock on her door.

Jake did though.

Both of them pulled back from kissing and froze at the sound of the soft knock.

"Sam, honey?" Brynna's voice came from outside the door and Sam wondered in her step-mother knew not to just knock once before pushing the door open like always.

Sam and Jake stared at each other, wide eyed. His forehead was pressed tenderly against hers. Sam smiled at him just a little bit before she unlocked her ankles and let her legs slide to the floor. For just a minute Jake didn't let her go, even as Sam called

"Yeah?"

Sam almost cursed at the huskiness of her voice ad she blushed when Jake gave her his lazy tomcat smile. She narrowed her eyes at him before pulling away from him and turning towards the door. Behind her Jake bent and began to rummage through his duffle bag for a clean shirt while Sam pulled open the door. She was partially tempted to open it a little way and lean in the gap so that Brynna wouldn't know that Jake was in her room shirtless, but decided that would seem even more suspicious than just having Byrnna know Jake had no shirt on. Plus Sam figured her lips were probably red and swollen anyway from all the kissing.

Brynna stood in front of Sam in her bathrobe. Her red hair was loose from its braid and her pregnant stomach bulged in front of her. She looked very tired. Sam watched her realize Jake had no shirt on and saw her raise her eyebrows. But she didn't say a word about it, nor did she give Sam a questioning or accusing look.

"Sam, could I borrow some of that lovely bubble-bath of yours?" She asked with a pleading look. Sam knew how much Brynna loved her bubble-bath. She'd found the stuff in San Francisco. It smelled divine. Like wildflowers and rain. After buying a small bottle of it while living with Aunt Sue for the summer last year Sam had realized she wanted more. She bought a big boxful. Gram and Brynna both loved it too.

"Sure." Sam said as she wandered towards her cupboard, trying not to star at Jake, he still hadn't put a shirt on. "But are you sure you be be getting down in the bath this far along, Mom?" Sam asked her.

She watched Jake's head snap up to stare at her out of the corner of her eye when she called Brynna 'Mom'.

Truthfully, Sam still missed her own mother every day, but Brynna was so much a part of the family now, that one day Sam had started calling her Mom. Mostly it was because of Cody. He was too young to understand the concept of his Mom not being Sam's Mom too. Because of him Sam had begun calling Brynna that, to avoid confusion and because the look she'd been given by dad, Gram and Brynna had been one of shock.

Then Brynna had cried.

Brynna must have noticed Jake's shock too because as she wandered in and lowered herself onto Sam's bed she said

"You know it still shocks me sometimes that you call me Mom when Cody isn't around?" Brynna told her, Sam couldn't see her expression because she was digging through the mess in her cupboard for the box filled with bottle of bubble-bath.

"How come?" Sam asked her step-mother.

"Well, honey I'm really flattered that you, but all of us but Cody know that no matter how much I might think of you as my daughter, you really aren't." Brynna told her carefully. Sam could hear her trying to word it in a way that would hurt Sam's feelings.

She didn't say anything until she found a new bottle.

She turned to face Brynna, Jake still knelt on the floor and he was watching her closely. She shrugged.

"Mom's gone. It's sad and it hurts but she's gone." Sam said, watching them with the bottle in her hands. "Cody doesn't need the confusion and you're really a part of the family now. Dad and Gram raised me after Mom died, but you came along and helped. So in some ways you might as well be. We look enough alike that you could be anyway." Sam said quietly, shrugging again.

She could see the shock on Jake's face at her blunt words but she pretended not to. She might still miss Mom but the truth was that she was gone and could never come back. Brynna looked at her sadly

"Oh honey, it means the world to me that you think so. But the only one around this place who might think we're related is Cody. You look so much like Louise, honey. Your Dad still catches his breath thinking he's seeing her ghost when he looks at you sometimes." Brynna told her with a sad smile.

Sam kept her face closed off. Talk of Mom still hurt sometimes. She still remembered the day she turned sixteen when she'd plaited her long hair in two plaits, one either side of her face. She'd found some daisies in Gram's garden and threaded them into the ends of her plaits. They'd been going out for dinner that night and as a present to Sam Gram had given her one of Mom's old dresses. The blue one she'd worn the day she arrived at the ranch for the first time and fallen so in love with this place.

It fit Sam perfectly. She'd dug out a pair of sandals to wear and had even used some make up on her face. The family had been waiting for her in the kitchen when she'd come downstairs. Dad hadn't known that Gram had given her one of Mom's dresses. As she walked into the kitchen he'd dropped his blue pottery mug. It had smashed on the floor at his feet but he'd just stared at Sam in shock "Louise?" he'd breathed as though he believed his lost wife had come back from the dead

Gram had gasped when she turned to look at Dad and then at Sam.

"Daddy?" Sam had said softly, worried for him. There in the kitchen on her sixteenth birthday Sam watched in terror as the strongest man she knew broke down in tears. Great heaving sobs had been torn from his chest as he slid to the floor and cried. Gram had tears streaming to as she knelt beside her son and hugged him, beckoning Sam to join them on the floor. Sam had run to them, confused and feeling her own eyes fill with tears when Dad had pulled her onto his lap crushing her to him as he hid his tear stained face on her shoulder. For the longest time the three of them sat there on the floor. Brynna had taken Cody into the lounge room. Sam knew that night had hurt her step-mother, but she had given Gram, Dad and Sam some time together.

Sam remembered the way she had whispered to them that they didn't have to go out for dinner, it was only to Clara's after all. But Dad had insisted. Sam had asked Gram if maybe she should change, but Dad had heard her and he told her that she looked so beautiful that it would be an injustice to change.

Since that day, Sam's relationship with Dad had changed. He'd started treating her more like an adult, putting more faith in her abilities, giving her more responsibilities, trusting her judgment. Sam always wondered if it was because she had looked more like an adult, just been more mentally mature or if it was because she looked so much like Mom. Dad asked her opinion on matters concerning the ranch more and during the spring cattle drive before she turned seventeen Sam had heard Dad tell Jed Kenworthy that Sam was like his right hand.

"Sam?" Brynna's soft voice pulled Sam out of her thoughts and she looked up to meet her step-mother's eyes.

Sam raised her eyebrows at her before realizing she still clutched the bottle of bubble-bath. Quickly she walked across the room and helped Brynna to her feet before handing her the bottle. Sam knew Jake was watching her, but she also knew he didn't like awkward situations. Pretending she didn't notice that he still hadn't out his shirt on Sam wandered out of the room.

When she reached the top step she grabbed their sleeping bags before running downstairs, through the deserted kitchen and into the yard.


	6. So What?

**A/N: Hey guys thank you so much for your lovely reviews. I'm really happy that you uys are all enjoying reading this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. The good news is i'm now written ahead again so i have several chapters just waiting to be uploaded =) YAY!**

**On Another note I finally got up on a horse the other day after about 6 yrs away from riding. It was AMAZING!**

**Please review.**

**-E.**

Chapter 6:

Sam had rolled out the sleeping bags in an empty stall in the barn that was filled with straw and was standing in the ten acre pasture when Jake strode out of the house. She watched him glance around the ranch yard before dropping his duffle bag to the ground and stepping off the porch.

He'd changed into a comfortable looking faded blue t-shirt and a pair of his track pants from when he used to run in high school. Sam was surprised they were still long enough for him. Jake spotted her even though she stood surrounded by Tempest, Ace and Popcorn. All three horses jostled in close, wanting some attention. The other horses in the pasture had crowded in too until they realized she didn't have any food for them.

Jake let himself into the ten acre pasture and walked towards her slowly, making sure not to spook the horses. For a long time they both stood in the pasture, petting the horses without speaking. Sam could tell Jake wanted to say something to her and she wondered if it would be about the situation with Brynna or about the little make out session they'd shared in her room before Brynna interrupted.

Sam was all sorts of confused. The Brynna thing really didn't bother her. She'd meant it when she said that Brynna was as good as her real mother now. She was, when she could she tried to talk to Sam about her problems although that rarely worked out well, because Sam usually turned as close-lipped as any of the cowboys.

No Sam was confused about Jake.

After he'd driven away and left her behind, breaking her heart as he ripped it out of her chest and drove away with the damn thing in his back pocket Sam had decided that he must have broken up with her for one of three possible reasons. Because he either thought their relationship couldn't survive the distance, or because on spite of his declaration he maybe didn't love her after all or because he didn't trust her. All three options had hurt when she considered but she had never really decided on which was most likely.

They'd fallen back to being friends, after a period of awkwardness since they only saw each other during summer when he came home. Their phone calls had been sparse and awkward because both had developed the habit of not talking much.

Now Jake was home for good. He'd told her so just this afternoon. That he was home and never leaving again. Which left the awkwardness of this afternoon's kiss to deal with. Yes Sam had teased Jake earlier with a few unnecessary poses, seductive smiles and teasing touches. But they were supposed to be just friends. "Just friends" didn't kiss each other the way they'd kissed in her room. Even good friends who'd once been an item for a few months didn't go around kissing like that. In thinking that Sam also chose to ignore the fact that when she'd visited Jen at her college, they'd gotten a little drunk and Sam had woken up with a tattoo on the inside arch of her left foot that read "_Love is Friendship set on fire_."

The problem, Sam decided, was that in spite of her best efforts she still seemed to love Jake. He'd broken her heart and in time she'd forgiven him, even though she still didn't know why he'd done it. And now they'd kissed and Sam didn't really feel bad about it. She felt like she wanted to do it again.

"You keep worryin' at your lip like that and you'll wear a hole in it." Jake's low voice told her over Ace's back, shocking her from her ponderings.

"It always heals right up." Sam replied softly, knowing Jake would understand that she had in fact chewed it until she's damaged her lip in the past. But it had healed. It always healed.

Jake snorted, he sounded amused, but Sam could see from his face that he understood that she spent a lot of time biting her lip. Shoot, knowing Jake with his debatable psychic powers he could probably figure out that most of her lip biting happened when she thought of him.

Deciding it was probably for the best right now not to say that, Sam also decided it would be for the best to not talk about their kiss. Even if it had left her feeling feverish and jittery and like she wanted to do it again. No the safest option would be to steer them back to safe conversation.

"Sam…" Jake began softly. Sam could see him rubbing the back of his neck as he did when he felt uneasy. Looking over Tempest's back at him she considered for a moment letting him get on with what he seemed to want to say, but knowing Jake, and knowing that determined look he had on his face, he was going to say something that would make them both uncomfortable.

"Got her trained up real nice now." Sam told him, her eyes travelling down to look at the filly in front of her. Lately Sam had been thinking it might be fun to breed Tempest. Even though she was an angel and the perfect horse when Sam rode her, she still sometimes got a little unruly when Dad or one of the hands needed to ride her. Dallas had suggested Sam talk to Katie Sterling about breeding Tempest to one of the stallions at Sterling Stables instead of accepting payment for the recent re-schooling Job she had taken on. One of their horses had developed a nasty habit of biting riders while they rode.

Sam glanced up at Jake. By his silence Sam knew that Jake realized Sam didn't want him to mention what had transpired earlier. She could see on his face that he didn't look particularly happy about the fact that she was skirting around the issue either. Figuring he would either talk when he was ready or go on with what he meant to say despite her trying to distract him Sam gave her horse one last pat before striding to the gate and letting herself out of the Ten acre pasture. She could help the little grin that spread across her face when Jake fell into step beside her. It was definitely a change to have him tagging along with her, rather than the other way around.

When they reached the barn Sam didn't bother with turning on the lights. After all they had both spent enough time in this barn that they could stride through the inky darkness confidently. Sam grinned when she heard Jake's steps slow after she disappeared into the stall where she had rolled out their sleeping bags.

"Sam?" his low voice questioned her. He was still standing outside the stall and Sam couldn't help the tiny giggle that escaped her. There had been a time when Jake could pinpoint exactly where Sam was no matter how dark the room or how many other people were present, nothing could distract him from finding her. Her giggle gave her away though because she heard Jake's footsteps as he stepped onto the straw towards her.

"Used to be you could find me without questioning where I was first." Sam said softly when she felt the air stir around her and realized that she smell the scent that was uniquely Jake from somewhere in front of her. She heard a faint snort from somewhere far closer to her than she expected. It seemed Jake was standing directly in front of her. Close enough that if the wind caught her hair it would easily sweep against Jake's skin.

"Used to be you were always so impatient that your feelings were like a beacon that always led me straight to you." Jake replied in a low, almost husky voice. "But it seems that since I left you sealed up tighter than a clam's ass." He continued, surprising Sam with his choice of words and with the fact that he was talking so much at all. Of course the topic of conversation wasn't really something she wanted to discuss with Jake at this point given that it was all because of him that she was like this anyway.

Sam took a deep breath and reached through the dark to find Jake's hand. As she sat down on her sleeping bag she tugged on his arm, indicating that he should sit too. When Sam had arranged herself in her own sleeping bag she peered through the darkness at Jake. He was in his own sleeping bag, which she'd arranged next to hers. She couldn't see his face, only his dark silhouette within the darkness of the barn. He was reclined in his sleeping bag, with his arms curled up, his hands beneath his head as he lay on his back.

Sam suspected he was looking sideways at her, just as she was looking at him.

"So…" Sam began, not really sure where she intended to take the conversation. For several long moments there was complete silence between them.

"So?" Jake asked finally. Sam wasn't entirely sure whether he was amused or irritated.

"Whatcha been doin'?" Sam asked, falling back to the Western drawl she'd developed and picking the safest topic she could think of. Jake sighed.

"You know, it used to be me who tried to avoid conversations that might be uncomfortable or the type that caused a scene. When'd you develop such, uh, evasiveness Sam?" Jake asked her. Apparently he was irritated.

"Don't know what ya mean." Sam mumbled, trying to avoid this confrontation.

Jake growled, making that noise in his throat again before Sam heard straw rustle and felt the air shift. The next thing she knew Jake had her pinned beneath him. He rolled so that his body covered hers completely, so that his heavy body pressed down on her even though he held his face and chest up with his arms, she could also sense his hands either side of her.

"Samantha Forster…." Jake growled from above her. He was still mad.

"What Jake?" Sam demanded, her hands inside her sleeping bag trying to push against him. It was useless, she didn't have enough leverage to shift him, and even if she had, she probably couldn't have anyway. Her heart rate had amped up at the feel of his weight pressing down on her deliciously and the feverish feelings from their earlier kiss had her skin lifting in goose bumps.

"If I have to drag every damn word out of you I will, Brat. Get to talkin'!" Jake demanded, his face inches from hers. Sam feigned ignorance.

"What would you like to know Jacob?" Sam asked, trying to rein in her frustration by burying it beneath a thick layer of sarcasm.

"Why are you ignoring the fact that we kissed?" Jake asked her levelly.

It was strange to see Jake like this, normally he was so shy and controlled, coaxing information from people in a way that made them think they'd wanted to tell him all along. Sam sighed.

"Who says I'm ignoring it?" Sam demanded, pulling irritation on like a blanket and using her own questions to keep from answering. Even in the dark Sam could tell that Jake was fixing her with a scathing look. When she stayed silent I spite of the no doubt menacing look he was giving her Jake growled

"Sam?" he ground out impatiently. Sam grinned. Sometimes it was really fun to irritate Jake. Maybe she could get him hot and bothered as well as irritated. Sam grinned evilly in the darkness.

"Jake." Sam breathed her friend's name, lacing her tone with longing. Sam grinned when she felt Jake freeze and heard his breath catch. Then she giggled.

"Jake why are you making a big deal of this?" Sam asked him quietly, deciding it was probably mean to tease him when he was grouchy.

"I wasn't. You made it a big deal by trying to skirt around the subject." He told her in a low voice.

Sam made a noise of irritation, not even realizing that once again Jake had turned her into the easily irritated child with a runaway mouth.

"Look Jake, we kissed and friends aren't supposed to, but we did anyway. So what?" Sam demanded. She was irritated about the whole thing.

Not just because he was making a big deal about it, but because he'd driven off four years ago moments after telling her he loved he, breaking up with her and tearing out her heart as he did. Then he'd spent four years away at college while she'd stayed here pushing herself as hard as she could to keep from thinking about the fact she missed him and still loved him and probably would for the rest of her damn life. Sam managed to drag her arm up beneath her sleeping bag until her fingers brushed against the braid of white horse hair she wore around her neck.

Why didn't Jake get it that he hurt her? Did he not pay attention to the pictures in her room? Why was he making a big deal about kissing her when it was him who'd broken off their relationship before leaving for four years? It made no sense for him to make a big deal of the two of them kissing when he clearly didn't love her.

"So what?" Jake demanded, drawing Sam back into their argument "That's all you're gonna say?" Now Jake was really angry. Sam could hear it in the way his voice vibrated with rage.

"What else is there to say, Ely?" Sam demanded, so angry that she could only use his last name. It's not like she could tell him she wanted to kiss him again or that despite how much he'd hurt her she was still in love with him.

"If that's the best you've got on the subject then why did you kiss me at all?" He asked he in a low dangerous voice, daring to answer him with the truth not just evasive angry nonsense.

Sam stayed stubbornly silent. She wasn't gonna lie and say she didn't know, because she did. She kissed him because she'd missed him, and she'd forgiven him for hurting her, and she still loved him and he looked amazing shirtless. But she couldn't answer with the truth either, not when he obviously didn't love her back.

For what felt like hours they stayed like that. Jake pinning her with his body, both of them wrapped in their own sleeping bags. Sam liked the feel of Jake's weight pinning her down. Angry as they were at each other, battling will against will to see who was the most stubborn of the two of them now, Sam had to admit there was something comforting and familiar about the situation. Maybe it was because her subconscious knew and recognized Jake's scent as one that meant friendship and love and felt just a little bit like home. Maybe it was because Sam took comfort in the familiar and there was nothing more familiar then her and Jake arguing.

Or maybe, a small voice in Sam's mind whispered, it was because Sam would be happy to argue with him- if it meant he'd always be here- for the rest of her life.


	7. Midnight Visitation

**A/N: Hey guys. Thank you so much for your continued support of my story. It's nice to nknow i'm not an awful writer all round. As well as this story i have a Harry Potter Fanfic and i got a very hateful review telling me i was a despicable writer. It's called Take The Tumble if you want to check it out.**

**Anyways I'm really glad you like this story because i'm loving wriring it. Please review. -E.**

Chapter 7:

Sam woke in the darkness with a familiar tingling sensation between her shoulder blades. Jake had finally given up on waiting for her to answer his question and had rolled off her with a sigh. Sam didn't want to examine to closely the fact that she'd fallen asleep with her body tingling and missing the feel of him against her.

But the tingling that woke her now was one that made her smile. The Phantom would be waiting at the river. Truthfully Sam wasn't too surprised by his visit this evening. Even though the rational part of her brain told her that her horse friend couldn't understand the words she said to him or the fact that the tears she used to cry into his neck were because of Jake, her heart believed he understood every word and was here to check on his only girl. Sam smiled widely as she slipped out of her sleeping bag, trying to be silent so that she wouldn't wake Jake.

Tiptoeing through the dark barn, Sam slipped out into the moonlight. She longed to run to her horse where he stood on the wild side of the river. He shone silver in the moonlight, and she could see he was startled when she came out of the barn instead of the house. He didn't make a sound, but he reared, pawing at the sky in joy as she came towards him.

Sam's breath still caught as she watched the majestic power of the stallion. Even after all the times she rode him, sometimes she forgot that he was the most powerful creature on the range.

She met him in the middle of the river. Sam didn't bother with little things, like rolling up her sweat pants. She could just take them off after he was gone.

"Zanzibar." Sam whispered as she stood thigh deep in the cool river. The mustang watched her with intelligent eyes through his silver forelock. "Hey boy." Sam murmured to him when the stallion pressed his velvet nose into her hand. He pranced in place, splashing water up at her, almost drenching her completely with the waves he made. Sam didn't mind, her body still felt feverish, she'd woken from a vivid dream of Jake, so the water felt nice against her hot skin.

The stallion was playful tonight. Sam smiled at him. "Did you come to check on me my Zanzibar?" She asked him softly when he rubbed his head against her shoulder. "Hmm, did you come to cheer me up because you saw Jake was home?" He blew through his lips as if agreeing, Sam giggled, apparently her horse friend thought her questions were unnecessary.

"I love you Zanzibar. I don't know how I would've coped without you letting me cry all over you." Sam told his as she massaged his withers with firm pressure. The time she'd spent with him over the years had developed a strong trust between them, and even though he was still wild Sam could touch him all over now and he didn't mind. The braided hair she wore as a necklace was woven hair she had combed from his tail with her fingers. It was thick as rope now, she'd gather so much of it that the braid it was woven into was thicker that her own plaits when she did one either side of her face.

The Phantom looked up, past Sam for a few moments before he tilted his dished head so that he was looking Sam in the eye. Then he gave a soft nicker. Sam smiled, he often made the same nois after she told him she loved him, so Sam had come to believe that was his way of telling her he loved her back.

"What do you think Zanzibar? We both know I still love him. Do you think I'm silly for being happy that he's back?" she could help but laugh when he bobbed his head emphatically. "Oh is that right? And why is that then, because you don't like Jake or because you think I'll get hurt." Sam laughed when he stamped one hoof, and took it to mean that it was because her horse friend didn't like Jake.

"Enough about me huh? How's your heard boy?" Sam said softly watching the stallion as he glanced back towards the Calico Mountains. "Are your new babies growing big and strong? Tempest has you know? She's so pretty now, the perfect combination of you and Sunny. But you're still my best boy." Sam told him. The Phantom watched her through his forelock, standing so that she could scratch his hide in his favorite places. Sheknew how the stallion liked to hear her voice so Sam started to sing.

She chose a song she'd fallen in love with on a recent CD she'd bought. It was called "_Let Me Down Easy."_ By Billy Currington.

_There's a little moonlight _

_Dancing on the sand,_

_There's a warm breeze blowing by the ocean_

_As you're taking my hand._

_You need to know_

_Where I'm standin' Now_

_That I'm right on the edge of givin' in to ya_

_Baby, it's a long way down._

_If I fall_

_Can you let me down easy?_

_If I leave my heart with you tonight,_

_Can you promise me that you're gonna treat it right?_

_If I fall, Can you let me down easy?_

Sam couldn't hold in her giggle at the irony of that song being stuck in her head now that Jake was home. The Phantom stayed for a moment longer, nickering softly at Sam before he turned and bounded through the water away from her to the far side of the river. Sam laughed out loud when the stallion shook himself off like a huge dog before he looked at Sam who stood drenched from head to foot in the middle of La Charla. He blew through his lips at her, as if to say, _well this is the price for my friendship, deal with it. _

Sam grinned at the stallion raced away from her. She waded back towards the ranch side of the river, her wet clothing weighing her down. Surprisingly she wasn't cold, despite the fact the it was the middle of the night and she was all wet. Sam pulled her shirt off over her head before she reached the bank. Despite her soaking, her body still felt feverish. It seemed kissing Jake, having him lay on top of her, sleeping next to him, and having, uh, compromising dreams about him was going to keep her feeling needy and hot and tingly.

Maybe some skinny dipping would help.

Stripping off completely and leaving her wet clothes in a pile on the bank of the La Charla river before she waded back out into the thigh deep water and flopped onto her back. Most days, if she had time, she and Cody went for a swim here. Her little brother just loved swimming, almost as much as he loved riding.

The river flowed steadily, but Sam used her hands, digging them into the sandy bottom, to hold herself in one place while se floated in the cool water. She lay on her back in the water, staring up at the stars and the moon overhead. Sam loved living in the high Nevada desert. She loved that she could swim here and see the stars. When she'd lived with Aunt Sue, it had bugged her that she couldn't see the stars at night.

When she spotted a shooting star, Sam closed her eyes and made a wish that she would never have to leave this place, that she could stay here in the desert for the rest of her life.

When she opened her eyes Sam though she just might die.

There on the bank, next to her pile of discarded wet clothing stood Jake. He had his arms crossed but he was staring at her incredulously. Feeling self conscious Sam let her body sink in the water until she was sitting on the sandy bottom of the river and the water reached her neck.

"Whatcha gawkin' at Cowboy?" Sam asked Jake, ignoring the fact that she blushed a little. Thank heavens he couldn't see her blush in the moonlight.

"Are you insane?" He asked her softly. Sam was surprised that he said it as if it were a valid possibility. There was no teasing note in his voice, no sly look that said he was teasing her at all. He seemed to actually want an answer too. Sam just stared at him, after all there had been a time when she'd suspected that she could be.

"It's like I leave for four years and you go completely insane." He muttered. Sam had a feeling he was talking to himself.

"What makes you think it took your leaving to make me insane?" Sam asked him, smiling lazily as she skimmed her arms over the surface of the water. "And what makes you think I'm insane at all?" She asked him suddenly.

Jake raised his dark eyebrows at her.

"Gee I dunno, Brat, could it be the fact that you get up in the middle of the night, wade into a river to communicate with, pet, and sing to a wild stallion. A stallion that once tried to kill you and is every bit a mustang. Maybe it's the fact that I know you've ridden him, probably more than once. Could it maybe be that after the jug-headed mustang leaves, soaking you in the process, you strip off in the middle of the night in the high desert, where temperatures get to freezing, even in summer, and then go skinny dipping?" Jake asked her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sam was a little shocked. Jake used to have a quota of how many words he could use in a day. Yet today he'd said more to her than he had in the past four years, possibly ever, during one day. Instead of reacting and letting him see her shock though Sam said

"You were watchin' the entire time weren't ya?"

Sam grinned when she saw his dark skin darken further in the moonlight as Jake blushed.

"Enjoy the Show?" Sam asked with wickedly, as she rolled in the water and pulled herself on along the bottom with her hands while she floated on her stomach. Slowly she pulled herself across the river until she was in the shallow water right in front of him.

"You know, it's rude to spy." Sam told him as she propped herself up on her elbows in the shallow water, cupping her hands beneath her chin and grinned up at him.

"That so?" Jake replied in a deep voice as he stared down at her. Sam smiled wide when she realized that the moonlight was probably outlining her naked body in the clear water.

"Hmm" Sam hummed an affirmative "And do you know that punishment in these parts for spyin' Cowboy?" She asked him, slowly inching her way back into deeper water.

Jake shook his head and Sam smiled wide.

Rocking back onto her feet Sam jumped up in the water, sweeping a huge wave of water over her friend, before turning and diving into the middle of the river. When she surface and looked at him he was all wet. Her wave had splashed onto him from chest to feet. Jake wore a stunned expression and held his arms out to the side a little, as though he had intended to try and block the wave but wasn't quick enough.

Sam wondered if his shock was because she'd splashed him or because she'd basically just bared her entire naked body to him, even if only for a moment. He sputtered at her.

Sam grinned.

"See the water's nice. And now that you're all wet you might as well swim with me." She told him, cringing at the flirtatious quality in her voice.

Jake fixed her a hot look.

"You sure that's a god idea Brat?" he asked her, his voice lower than usual. Sam laughed.

"What's the matter Cowboy, you too shy to strip in front of your oldest friend?" Sam asked him slyly, enjoying the fact that she had the upper hand, and the fact that she finally had nickname for him. Sam grinned when she saw the challenge register in his brown eyes.

Tonight his mustang eyes were wilder than Sam had ever seen them. His loose hair tossed in the breeze Sam hadn't noticed, but his brown eyes watched her hungrily, dancing with heat as he pulled his shirt off over his head and dropped it on top of her pile of clothes. Sam grinned when he glanced at her for a minute before sliding his track pants down his long legs. He wore nothing beneath them.

As he stepped out of them he said to her

"How deep is the water?" Sam grinned at the huskiness of his voice and the fact that he suddenly sounded shy.

"It only reaches mid-thigh on me in the middle." Sam told him, grinning at the sight of him naked in the moonlight. His mahogany skin shone like amber beneath the rays of the moon and Sam could help noticing that She apparently wasn't the only one feeling, uh, feverish, either.

Sam glanced up at his face when Jake didn't move, blushing a little when she realized she'd been staring at the fact that he was rather well endowed.

"You comin' in or are you hopin to get a tan in moonlight?" Sam asked him, drawling the words out to cover the fact that she was feeling a little shy herself. Jake gave her a small smile before her dived from the bank. It was a long, shallow dive and carried him almost to the other side of the river.

Sam watched him as he flipped his head up out of the water, his long hair spraying water everywhere. Sam let herself float slowly on the current, smiling when Jake floated along next to her.

"Sometimes after it rains I come out here and let the current carry me downstream, floated all the way down past your place a few months ago." Sam told him softly as they floated beneath River Bend bridge.

"That's a long way. Wasn't there debris and stuff in the water between here and home?" Jake asked her quietly. He sounded impressed.

"Yeah, but I took a foam board to float along with, just laid on that n let the current do the rest." Sam said rolling onto her back and trying to find a way to float like that without exposing herself. Jake must have decided he was tired of floating, cos he planted his feet, taking hold of her hand to pull her to a stop.

"Didn't you used to be afraid of water when you couldn't see the bottom or didn't know what you might run into?" He asked her, holding onto her hand as Sam continued to float in the water, using him as an anchor while he knelt on the sandy riverbed.

"Hmm" Sam hummed an affirmative, smiling a little when Jake intertwined his fingers with hers. Rolling over she held her other hand out of the water towards him so that she could hang onto him while she floated on her tummy looking at him.

"Used to be afraid of lots of things Jake." She told him softly as he entwined their fingers on the other hand.

"Not anymore huh?" He asked her, even kneeling in the river the water only reach the top of Jake's Abs.

"Not afraid of 'most anything anymore." She told him as she stared at his tattoo, trying to make it out now that she had better light to see by. It was roughly the same sized as her fist, and looked to be a picture of something, with maybe some writing in it. Jake's brown eyes watched her face for a moment before he said

"Why's that?"

Sam glanced up, looking him in the eye.

"Couldn't afford to be afraid." She whispered "Didn't want to be, didn't need to be. So I stopped" Sam told him, looking right into his warm brown eyes. The she smiled.

"Everybody got a little stressed when I decided to stop being afraid of things. Words like 'reckless' and 'irresponsible' were thrown around. Not just by my family either. Your dad told me I was, how did he put it? 'Being childishly reckless and causing everyone who loved me more worry than they should ever have to feel' then he walked off with his fists clenched like he was restraining himself from shaking me. Your Mum told me the next day that sometimes Luke and her though of me like the daughter they ever got." Sam beamed at Jake, who watched her closely "After that I stopped doing the reckless stuff unless I had to. By then though I'd stopped being afraid of almost everything. It's kinda nice." Sam finished softly.

"do I really want to know what you did that got so many words out of Dad?" Jake asked her.

"Probably not." She said grinning.

"Tell me anyway." Jake whispered, Sam knew that even though he didn't want to hear that she'd done, he was dying to know what had provoked such a response from his father.

"I threw myself off the back of a moving horse in the middle of a stampede to protect a calf that had fallen and kept getting stepped on." Sam told him levelly. "So technically it was a necessary reckless act, but the parents didn't see it that way. Dad told me that 'The damn calf could be trampled into a bloody pulp for all he cared, if it meant I was safe on horseback and not in range of stabbing horns, flying hooves and hundreds of pounds of angry panicked cattle'." Sam finished quietly, imitating Wyatt's angry tone.

"Let me guess, even though they were all going nuts 'cause you put yourself in unnecessary danger and could've been killed, you stood there thinking that because you had you'd saved the damn calf?" Jake said he looked a little irritated after hearing the story, but not at all surprised.

"Well… yeah pretty much." Sam said, sounding slightly bewildered that he guessed right.

"Meaning you completely ignored the lecture I gave you years ago about the fact that you are more important than a damn animal and would end up getting yourself killed if you kept putting them first?" Jake said, raising his eyebrows at her questioningly.

Sam didn't reply, just smiled at him innocently.

"Don't give me that innocent look. If you don't get it through your head that your life is more important than an animal you are gonna end up like Louise." Jake said angrily and very bluntly. Sam scowled at him.

"Don't go there Jake." Sam warned him, her eyes narrowed on him.

"No Samantha, get it through your head! You may not have a husband and kid to leave behind to hurt for you but what about the rest of us?" Jake demanded, using his grip in her hands to drag her through the water towards him until his arms clamped tightly around her, her chest pressed against him firmly.

"What about your kid brother? Your Dad and Brynna? Your Gram? What about Jen? What about my parents and brothers and all your friends? What about all the people who love you Sam? Huh? What about me?" Jake finished, his voice cracking a tiny bit on the last three words.

Sam felt her heart squeeze just a tiny bit at his words.

"The next time you even think about doing something stupid or crazy that could get you killed" Jake began, his voice low and rough as his gaze bored into hers "You'd better think back to right now Samantha. To you and me naked in the river in the middle of the night and in your head you better hear my voice listing all the people who love you." Jake threatened darkly "When the little voice in that head of yours says, what about the mustangs or the antelope or the damn cougars? My voice had better come barging in saying: What about Wyatt and Brynna and Cody and Grace? What about Jen? What about the Ely's? You hear me Sam? My voice had better start yelling in your head saying: What About Jake?"

Sam almost couldn't breathe. With his last three words Jake had tightened his arms around her. Squeezing her to add emphasis to his words.

"You know, I don't think I've ever heard you use so many words in one day." Sam told Jake with a small smile. She knew he wouldn't appreciate her pointing out something that he would consider trivial in response to his lecturing but Sam couldn't resist. Jake scowled at her.

"Maybe that's 'cause you used to talk non-stop. Maybe I just didn't have a chance to talk." He said to her. Surprising her when he didn't get mad and insist that she agree with his lecture.

"Doubtful." Sam said, trying not to laugh, "Very doubtful."

Jake grinned at her.

It felt nice being pressed against him like this, Sam thought. Sam was horrified to imagine the reactions if Dad or Gram caught them skinny dipping in the middle of the night. After all, Gram belonged to a Methodist women's church group. No way would she approve of anyone, namely Jake, seeing Sam naked when they weren't married to her. Dad wasn't extreme in his faith, but being that he still thought of Sam as his baby girl he certainly wouldn't approve of her and Jake touching in any way that wasn't a friendly hug. Even though Sam was now technically old enough to legally get married she knew her father and grandmother, and probably Brynna too, would go nuts if they thought anything untoward was going on between Sam and Jake.

Oh well. Hopefully they were all fast asleep.

Sam wriggled a little against Jake until he loosened his tight grip on her. She smiled when he didn't actually let go of her though. Turning slightly Sam pressed her cheek against the top of his shoulder. If Jake felt uncomfortable about both f them being naked he didn't show it. He seemed content to kneel in the river with his arms around her. Sam faced towards his neck, contemplating whether or not it would be a good idea to press her lips against his warm skin.

"Jake?" Sam murmured softly.

"Hmm?" He hummed questioningly.

"When did you get a tattoo?" She asked him. She was dying to know what it was, but she wasn't going to ask, she'd wait until she could see it in daylight.

"Night I turned twenty-one." Jake replied softly. Sam stayed quiet, hoping he would elaborate. After what felt like hours he did.

"Darrel came to visit for my twenty-first birthday. He even gave me the gift from you. Thanks for that by the way. Anyway, he found out that in spite of three years of college I'd never been completely drunk. He wasn't impressed. He went out and 'bout bought a whole liquor store of alcohol and got me so drunk I could barely stand. At some stage during the night I blacked out and went nuts. Woke up the next morning with a killer head ache and a tattoo." Jake said quietly, his voice low as he talked about the tattoo.

"He told me he was gonna take care of you." Sam whispered, appalled.

Jake laughed "Think he thought he was."

"Can I ask why?" Sam said suddenly.

"Why'd a get a tattoo you mean?" Jake clarified. Sam nodded against his shoulder.

"Not until you work out what it is. Then maybe I'll tell ya why I got it." Jake said evasively. Sam grinned, it was what she'd expected. "I'm not sorry I got it though." Jake told her as Sam pulled away from him so that she peer through the darkness at the tattoo on his chest. It was no use. Even when she almost pressed her nose against him Sam couldn't make out the image in the dark.

"I've got one, ya know." Sam told him as she dog paddled around him and started swimming up-stream. Jake dragged himself along with his hands in the sand.

"You got a tattoo?" He asked incredulously "Does Wyatt know?" He asked after Sam nodded.

"No. And you better not tell him." She said glancing over at him when she reach the spot in the river that was in line with their clothing.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Jake told her, grinning at the way she narrowed her eyes at him. "Where is it?" he asked, wondering where on her person she could get a tattoo that her family wouldn't find.

Jake looked shocked when Sam lifted her left foot out of the water and held it up in front of his face. Sam watched him read the words in the moonlight. His mustang eyes searched her face as he took hold of her foot, using it to drag her towards him again. Sam bit her lip when Jake used his hold on her left foot to wrap her leg around his waist.

He was sitting on the sand in the river and as he wrapped her left leg around him he used his other hand to grab hold of the back of her right knee and wrap her right leg around him as well. Sam became acutely aware of the fact that they were both naked. And of the fact that her naked body was pressed intimately against his naked body. Very intimately.

"Jake…" Sam warned, trying to let him know without actually saying that she was still virgin and wasn't changing that status tonight. His eyes held hers for a moment and Sam smiled when she realized he had no intention of trying to change that this evening either.

"You still…? Jake began, his question trailing off as his eyes finished the sentence for him. Catching his meaning Sam nodded, biting her bottom lip and blushing heatedly. Jake beamed at her, and Sam couldn't help wondering why he would be so pleased that she was still a virgin.

"Me too." He murmured, his brown eyes staring at her lips as she chewed the bottom one. Sam stared at him in surprise.

"Sam…. I …. I ….." Sam couldn't let Jake finish his sentence. Before he could say what she suspected he might be trying to tell her Sam leaned in a pressed her lips to his tenderly. She just couldn't let him finish what he was saying. She didn't really think her heart would handle it if Jake told her that tonight, only to take it back when he drove home in the morning.

Jake didn't object when Sam kissed him. There was nothing better than kissing Sam, he thought as he felt her hands tangle into his wet hair. A part of his brain was telling him that this whole situation was ridiculous. They were making out while skinny dipping in the middle of the night. Wyatt would have his head if he found out and Jake didn't feel comfortable keeping secrets from his boss. Tomorrow he'd have to ask Wyatt if it was ok for him to court Sam. After that he'd work on convincing her, because her reaction to him trying to stutter out his words seemed indicative that maybe she didn't want to hear about his feelings for her.


	8. Breakfast

Chapter 8:

Jake Ely woke up when the warm pressure on his shoulder went away.

Glancing around blearily his eyes fixed on movement as he watched Sam leave the stall they'd slept in. Climbing out of his sleeping bag Jake followed her, scratching his bare chest as he stepped into the morning sunlight. It felt a little odd to be only wearing track pants while he stood in the doorway of River Bend's barn.

Jake looked around feeling an odd sense of satisfaction as he watched Samantha Anne Forster tiptoe barefoot across the ranch yard wearing nothing but one of his shirts. He knew she had nothing on beneath it. Her auburn hair was mussed from sleep and had gone very curly as it dried. Last night when they'd left the river their clothing had still been soaked; it now hung from the porch rails. He'd raided his duffle bag and come up with track pants for himself and a shirt for Sam. It covered everything vital, but gave him great view of her long toned legs.

He watched her tiptoe into the pen that held their Rhode Island Red hens and realized she must be going about her morning chores, getting the eggs was apparently first on that list. She disappeared into the pens and he could hear her soft voice as she spoke to the hens although he couldn't hear her words. She emerged a few minutes later, trying to carry two handfuls of eggs. It looked like she'd put some in the pockets on his shirt too. Normally she used a basket, Jake remembered, but she mustn't have wanted to go into the house to get it first. He smiled as she tiptoed across the Ranch yard towards the porch.

He jogged across the yard to the porch when he realized there was no way she'd be able to get the door with her hands so full. He held open the door for her and she gave him a sleepy smile. "Thanks Cowboy." She mumbled as she wandered inside, still on tiptoes. Grace was already in the kitchen as they entered.

"Oh thanks honey." She said to Sam, holding out the basket for Sam to put the eggs in before she dropped them. Then she gaped at Sam and Jake.

"Lands, Samantha! What are you wearing?"

Sam felt herself shrink just a little as she cringed at Gram's tone. She glanced down, realizing she only wore Jake's shirt. She didn't even have underwear on. It was hanging from the porch railing along with her sweat pants and tank top. She'd forgotten that she was wearing only Jake's shirt. Then she glance at Jake, who was only wearing track pants. She didn't have time to work out what his tattoo was though because it suddenly dawned on that this looked bad.

By Gram's expression it looked really bad.

"Samantha Anne Forester" Gram began in a low angry voice "Where are your clothes?" She demanded. Oh this was so not good. Sam gulped.

"They're hanging on the porch, drying." Sam said, trying to force her voice into the calming tone she used when she worked with horses, hoping it would work just as well on Gram. Gram raised an eyebrow as she scowled at Sam.

"They got wet see. I uh, forgot to roll my pants up before I went into the river last." Gram knew that Sam visited most nights with the Phantom "And there may have been some waves and splashing involved, that ended up with me drenched from head to foot. So Jake gave me one of his shirts." Sam finished, even to her own ears it sounded a little weak as stories go. Of course it was the truth, she'd just left out the fact that her and Jake had gone skinny dipping and then made out.

Out of the corner of her eye Sam saw Jake slip back out the door. Maybe he didn't want Gram to yell at him, or notice his tattoo. Plus he hated awkward scenes.

Neither she nor Gram said anything about him slipping out. Gram just fixed Sam a look.

"Gram don't look at me like that." Sam sighed, trying to make her tone sound like she wasn't being rude "You know I'm not that sort of girl." She said exasperatedly. Gram clucked her tongue and Sam could see her choosing her words carefully.

"Samantha, honey, with anyone else you might not be that sort of girl. But your heart belonged to that boy long before you had any notions about boys or love, even if you didn't realize." Gram's voice dropped to a whisper as she said "And even though you won't admit it or let on to anyone, I know it still belongs to that boy."

"Gram nothing happened" Sam insisted, her eyes and face open and truthful as Gram's eyes searched her features. When she seemed satisfied that Sam was telling the truth She nodded.

"Well good. I won't tolerate that type of behavior on this ranch Samantha." Gram said before she dropped her voice and gave Sam a small smile as she whispered "You wanna be doin' that sort of thing, honey, you get a ring on your finger first ok?" Sam's cheeks flamed a furious red as she blushed, mortified at Gram's words. Gram chuckled and patted Sam's cheek affectionately.

"Get on upstairs now and put some clothes on before Wyatt see's you, he'll assume what I did. I won't have my son murdering Jake Ely in my kitchen." Gram told her, giving Sam a gentle push towards the stairs. As she took them two at a time she heard Gram call from the kitchen cheerily

"Jake, do you want some coffee?"

Sam closed her bedroom door before she could hear his reply. She was terrified Dad would see her dressed like this. He'd flip his lid f he thought she'd had sex with Jake last night. Sam lifted the front of the shirt to her nose and sniffed it. It smelled like washing powder and Jake, making Sam smile. She didn't want to take it off but the problems she'd face if she didn't weren't really worth it.

Instead she pulled the shirt off over her head and dug into her drawers for underwear. Next she dug out a green tank top and pulled on a pair of clean jeans followed by some socks. Her family didn't know about her tattoo and she hoped to keep it that way. Dad would go ballistic if he saw it. Sam caught sight of her reflection and sighed. There was something in the water of the La Charla River that made her wavy hair curl. It was mussed from sleep too, as well as the fact that last night Jake had been running his hands through it.

This meant that is was a mussed mass of curls falling down her back. Sam picked up the brush and dragged through it. The curls somehow developed more spring as she brushed them. When she stopped she'd managed to make it look like she hadn't slept in a barn, and like Jake hadn't run his hands through it, but it still looked tussled and curly.

Satisfied that she couldn't do anything else to improve it Sam left it out, hoping gravity might pulls some of the curls back out of it.

When she got back to the kitchen Jake was seated at the table eating breakfast with Dad and Cody. They each held blue pottery mugs as Gram slipped bacon and scrambled eggs onto their plates. Jake smiled at her when she met his eye. Dad looked at her over his shoulder. He looked tired.

"Mornin'." He said in greeting. Cody jumped up, slopping coffee onto the table as he put down his cup before he ran over to her.

"Sammy" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Cody Forster if you wake you mother you'll be cleaning out stalls in the barn 'til you're fifteen! Without breaks!" Dad growled at him. Cody looked sheepish before he leapt into the air, giggling when Sam snatched him out of the air and cuddled him.

"Good morning, my adorable brother." Sam said as she sat him comfortably against his hip. She could feel Jake watching her. "And why 's Dad so grumpy with you this morning Codester?" Sam asked him as she moved to help Gram with the cooking with him still perched on her hip. Cody just blinked at her before resting his head on her shoulder with a sigh.

Apparently her brother already had too much cowboy in him and didn't feel like talking. Sam glanced over at Dad.

"Next time you decide you wanna sleep in the barn Samantha," Dad began tiredly "You better remember to read to him or sing to him or whatever it is you do that gets him to sleep, before you head out there." He told her with a small glare "Because if you forget again I won't be responsible for my actions."

Sam glanced at her brother and realized he had fallen asleep on her shoulder.

"He's asleep now." Sam whispered to them. Dad fixed her an irritated glare this time before he went back to his breakfast, stabbing the food with more force than necessary with his fork.

Gram chuckled.

"I don't know how you do it honey." Gram said, patting Sam's arm gently. "Wyatt and I had to yell at him on four separate occasions. He kept getting out of bed and trying to sneak into your room or out into the barn. It didn't help that with Brynna so far along she's been having awful trouble sleeping, tossing and turning trying to find a comfortable position. She kept Wyatt awake most of the night. That's why he's a little out of sorts this morning." Gram threw a sympathetic look towards her son.

"I told her last night that after this one we aren't having any more kids." Dad grumbled around a piece of bacon. Sam noticed that Jake was watching the whole scene with his usual silence but he had a soft smile on his face as he looked at Sam with Cody asleep on her shoulder. Sam chuckled softly at Dad's words.

"Bet that went down well. She told me the other day she wants to have at least three." Sam said softly, making sure she didn't wake her brother. Dad looked up at her in alarm.

"It's not gonna happen. The three we've got are more than enough." He said, giving her a small smile. Sam smiled at Dad.

"I'm sure she'll change her mind when she doesn't have me ready and waiting to play with the new one constantly whenever she wants a break." Sam said softly. Dad raised his eyebrows at her.

"Why won't you be helping?" Dad asked her. Sam's grinned widened.

"I'm really not surprised you haven't thought of it Dad, after all when I was growing up I was an only child, and Jake was here all the time to keep me company and keep me out of trouble when you and Gram and Mom were too busy. But instead of a Jake here to distract Cody, you'll have me." Dad looked like he didn't quite understand what that had to do with Sam helping out with the new baby.

"Dad, when Brynna's freakin' out cos her new baby won't stop cryin' you're also gonna have an adventurous four year old runnin' around. You think Cody will just sit quiet when his Mom starts screaming? No way in the world, and as much as we all love her Brynna doesn't always handle the stress of the early days in child raising with a level head. So while you get to avoid it by bein' on the range, you can either take Cody with you to keep him out of her hair, or he'll be pesterin' me." Gram was smiling at Sam by the time she'd stopped talking.

"She's right Wyatt. Raising children, especially bringing a newborn into a house with a four year old spells trouble. He's old enough to view your new child as competition for attention, and while I'll be doing what I can to help Cody won't handle it well when Brynna starts yelling or crying when your new little one is screaming or gets sick. It means he'll turn to you and me and Sam for the attention Brynna won't be able to give him because she'll be busy with the new baby. I recommend that when he wakes up later, you get him up on that pony. He's not big enough for a grown horse yet but that little Shetland is fine. He's not bad in the saddle but he needs to spend more time with you teaching him." Gram told her son.

"Let Dallas and the hands handle to ranch work today. Spend some time with your son. After yelling at him last night he'll be feeling fragile and probably a little afraid of you. Make sure he knows that he can come to you for the attention he won't be getting from Brynna." Gram told him sternly when Dad looked like he might interrupt her "Wyatt, last night was proof enough. He spends more time with Sam and I because Brynna's usually away at work and most days your gone all day on the range. You only spend time with him at breakfast and in the evenings." Gram told him.

Sam examined Dad's face and realized Gram's words hurt him. He worked hard to keep things on the ranch running smoothly and he tried hard to find time for teaching Cody. But most of the time when he wasn't riding the range he had jobs to do that Cody got in the way for or he helped Sam school horses. Sam moved towards him and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up into her blue eyes and Sam knew that his mind was giving him conflicting images of his daughter and his long dead wife.

"Daddy, you're a great father. We both love you and know you love us. But Cody's getting old enough to ask questions about how the ranch works. The same questions I was asking at four no doubt. But when I was four I asked Mom or Gram or you. Sometimes I asked Jake if I didn't think he'd be too much of a know-it-all about it. But when I'm here, workin' the horses, he asks me. I can always answer him, but more of it, he should be learning from you. Work with him today on his riding. He loves Poncho and he's a good rider. Work with him today on his skills and maybe tomorrow take him with you when you ride out. He'll be in the way mostly, but you need to get him learnin' about ranch life." Sam paused as she watched her words sink in with Dad, his eyes searched hers.

"Daddy," Sam continued quietly, waiting for him to raise his eyebrows at her "It won't do anyone any good for Cody to be reliant on me for comfort and help. Before you know it I'll be getting married and thinkin' of havin' kids of my own." Sam saw him start to panic at her words and smiled at him.

"I won't be going anywhere even when that happens Dad, which probably won't be for a while, but when it does happen it won't do any good if Cody's still waiting for me to read him a bedtime story before I sing him to sleep. He's four now. Get him started on growing up and taking some responsibility. Soon enough he'll be having to learn how to be responsible and levelheaded when his own kid brother is taggin' along behind him. And you need to be the one to teach him. As it is he's learning half of who he should be from you Brynna and Gram and half from me. Meaning he's learnin' all my bad habits. Boy needs to learn how to be a man from the best man I know." Sam told him.

She knew Dad was embarrassed that she'd said so much in front of Jake. And that her words had touched him. She knew from the way his eyes crinkled at the corners and he gave her a soft smile. Bending her knees so she wouldn't jostle Cody, Sam bent down and pressed a kiss to Dad's forehead, giving his shoulder an affectionate squeeze. Then she turned and walked up the stairs to put her brother to bed.

Sam tiptoed up the stairs, hoping she wouldn't wake Brynna or Cody. From behind her in the kitchen she heard Dad clear his throat before he said "Mum, when did Sam grow up?" Sam paused on the steps to listen to Gram's answer.

Gram chuckled.

"It was around the time she went looking for Jake's help and opinion on one of her problems and realized that he wasn't peering over her shoulder protectively anymore." Gram replied.

Sam could hear the way she worked to keep the accusation out of her tone and she was dying to see Jake's face as Gram said that. It was a little harsh but ultimately the truth. Sam had gone looking for Jake's help with something to do with the mustangs. It wasn't until she'd gotten home that she realized he wouldn't be coming over after school.

Sam was about to continue up the stairs when Gram spoke again.

"I think it was around that time that she realized just how much she relied on Jake to be here looking out for her, helping her, trying to keep her safe in the times she rushed forward thinking with her heart and not her head." Gram said slowly "She got so reckless after she realized that, do you remember?" Gram said, aiming her question at Dad. "I think she was trying to prove to herself that she could get along just fine without Jake's help. That she could pull the crazy stunts she's always pulled and survive just fine on her own without Jake telling her to be careful or pointing out how she could've been hurt." Gram said.

Dad made a noise of agreement "Like that stunt she pulled launchin' herself off Ace in the middle of a stampede to save that calf. If I hadn't been so relieved she was alive I woulda killed her." Dad said, sounding a little irritated at the reminder. "When I saw her dive off that pony into the surging hoard of angry red cattle my heart stopped. Thought she'd lost her mind. I thought she'd be dead for sure. You woulda been goin' crazy Jake. She just disappeared into the mass of bawlin' panicked cattle. When she didn't get up…." Dad trailed off as though the possibilities were too painful to think about again.

"When we finally got to her she had herself wrapped around this runty little calf. She was smart enough to bury her head beneath the calf so she wouldn't get kicked again. But I thought they were both dead. Neither of them moved. They just laid there, Sam with her head buried beneath the calf and her body on top of it, protecting it from the flying hooves. I didn't breathe 'til they started movin'. It felt like it took me hours to get off Jeep and over to them." Dad paused again as though remembering his panic.

"Then she sat up real slow. Dragging the calf, her arms were locked around it. She managed to roll around until she was sitting with it in her lap. She didn't even look at us, just checked over the calf, makin' sure it was breathin', checkin' to see if there was blood coming from its mouth. The damn thing had three cuts on its hind quarters from where it had been stepped on, but that was it. I stood there in shock as she gathered her legs beneath her and got to her feet. I knew she was hurtin' but she didn't even look at me until she got that calf laid over Jeep's withers. That's when she fell." Dad said and Sam could hear Jake gasp uncharacteristically.

"I dunno how she didn't have broken bones. She'd been trampled. You remember how brusied up she was after that cougar pounced on her?" Dad asked pausing,,Jake must have nodded cos Dad continued. "That looked like a love bite in comparison. Her whole body turned black except her face. Her neck and chest were bad, real dark bruisin' from the impact of her divin' off Ace. The rest of her was riddled with black bruising 'cause she'd been stepped on ten times. She had ten separate black lumps on her back and stomach and legs. I still dunno how she stood to put that calf up on the horse. Or how she hoisted him up there, with how much pain she woulda been in" Dad said sounding amazed now even though he'd been horrified and fightin' mad at the time.

"Took her to the hospital straight away. When she fell she'd blacked out from the pain she was in. They checked her out, running every kinda test to make sure she hadn't damaged her spine or knocked her head again. Other than the severe bruisin' she was fine. Not a broken bone. When she came to everyone ripped her a new one. Even Luke." Dad said, "Never knew your Dad to yell much but he lost it at Sam. He apologized to me after, saying he knew it wasn't his place. Don't think he could help it though." Dad finished. Sam was annoyed that he sounded pleased that Luke Ely had yelled at her. She was also in shock. Sam had never heard Dad use so many words.

Gram made a noise that sounded like agreement as well "I think it did her good. Something about Luke yelling at her seemed to remind her of the way you yelled at her Jake. Up until then she'd been testing her limits, and our patience, but after that she stopped being so reckless. Think she realized she could've died and that the people around her would actually hurt if she had."

When they seemed finished Sam continued upstairs and put Cody into bed. Tucking him beneath the blankets and kissing his forehead. She looked in on Brynna as she went by the room she shared with Dad. Brynna was curled up cuddling several pillows. She had one cushioned beneath her pregnant belly, and another between her legs. Another she had curled into a ball in he arms. Sam smiled. At least Brynna was finally getting some sleep.

When Sam walked back into the kitchen she saw Jake smile at her. Sam narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. Gram and Dad both glanced between Sam and Jake as Sam took a seat at the table next to Dad. Gram piled food in front of her and asked

"Did you get him put to bed, honey?"

Sam shoveled a pile of scrambled eggs into her mouth and swallowed it as she nodded.

"Brynna's asleep too. She looks comfortable with all those pillows everywhere." Sam said with a smile "When does she go into hospital?" Sam asked Dad grinned at her.

"What's the matter honey? You worried you'll have to assist with another home delivery?" He teased her.

"I won't do it. It was scary enough last time when the prospect of having my own kids was the last thing on my mind." Sam watched Dad's gaze dart to Jake and his eyes narrow. Jake gave his a lazy tomcat smiled and bounced one eyebrow cockily before taking another bite of bacon.

"Sam honey, you're only nineteen next week." Gram reminded her. Sam rolled her eyes, she was well aware of her age and there was no way she was even considering children hen Dad and Brynna were still having their own. She wasn't even in a relationship for crying out loud.

"Yeah, but now I'm four years closer to a reasonable age to be thinking about that type of thing. I do not need the trauma of watching another live birth. I'm tellin' y'all right now that if she goes into labor here again that I won't be in the house. I'll be high-tailin' it for the range while you lot deal with it this time. I'm still mentally scarred from last time and I reckon that if I have to go though that again I'll be put off child-birth for life." Sam grinned at their expressions as she said "And Daddy, you want grandkids someday don't ya?" She smothered her tone with sweetness as she leaned her head on his arm enjoying the horrified expression on his face.

Dad gulped and opened his mouth as if to speak before closing it again.

"Also I'd like to take this moment while Brynna isn't here to get emotional about it to say that it creeps me out that I'm old enough to be married and having my own kids when you and her are still poppin' out your own." Sam said bluntly. Jake snorted. Gram looked a little shocked. Dad stared at Sam as if she'd told him she was an alien.

"Seriously Dad, you have a full grown daughter. I know how all that stuff works." Sam grinned when Dad nearly choked on his coffee and Jake almost feel out of his chair laughing. "I know you had a bit f a head start with having me thirteen years before you even met Brynna but really, it creeps me out to think that when I have kids they could have uncles only a few years older than them."

Jake fell out of his chair laughing. Even Gram started to chuckle

"And how's that gonna work when you're still single, let alone married Samantha?" Dad asked sternly. Sam knew he was fighting not to laugh though. He'd mentioned to her when he'd told her Brynna was pregnant again that he knew it was a little crazy to be having another baby when he had an eighteen year old daughter.

Sam let her eyes twinkle as she said "Oh you never know Daddy. Might be that some nice young man swoops in here and sweeps me off my feet, stealing your little Cinderella away." Sam wiggled her eyebrows at him. Dad started to laugh as he turned to Jake, who kept trying to climb back into his chair only to fall again when he couldn't stop laughing, and said "Guess that rules you out Jake." Dad told him, making them all laugh.

"Oh Sammy, you make me laugh." Gram told her when they finally managed to control their laughter. "Now, that's twice this morning you mentioned that you think this new baby will be a boy. May I ask why you think so?" Gram asked her, eyeing her curiously.

Sam grinned at them all as they looked at her curiously. "Oh I get a feeling about these things, kinda like Dallas when he knows whether a mare will have a colt or filly. Brynna's having another boy. I know she's hoping for a girl but there's a boy in there."Sam told them matter-of-factly. "If I were you Dad I'd focus on thinking up another boy's name."Sam told him, patting his hand.

"But what makes you so sure honey?" Gram asked her, her eyes examined Sam's face scrupulously.

"I asked Dallas one day about the signs he looks for when he's guessing the gender of a foal before it's born. He told me a few of them. Then I thought about how Brynna looked and acted while she was carrying Cody. They are all the same this time. And I've just got feeing it will be a boy." Sam told them. "Dad I know Brynna wants a daughter, a true daughter, but she's having a son. That ok with you?" she asked him softly, scrutinizing his tanned face.

Dad smiled at her "Truthfully honey, I hope I only ever have one baby girl." Dad told her, ignoring Jake, who had begun to look slightly uncomfortable. Dad took her hand and squeezed it gently before saying "I don't think I could handle another daughter." Jake snorted at that and Gram smiled widely.


	9. Frost

**A/N: Hey guys. My deepest apologies for my delayed updating. I have just recommenced Uni for the year and this weekend has been hectic with meeting the freshmen and starting class. Hopefully i can get back to my scheduel of udating daily but my apologies if i can't. Thanks you for all your wonderful reviews. I'm thriving on the positive feedback. Hope you like this chapter. Please review -E.**

Chapter 9:

Jake, Dad and Gram all sat at the table with Sam as she finished off her breakfast. Dad went over with her their plans for the day. Since she and Gram had suggested it, Dad was going to spend today with his son.

"What are you doin' today?" He asked her as she demolished her bacon and eggs.

"What do ya need me to do?" Sam replied.

"Thought you were gonna work that horse. You got that Rodeo in Reno next weekend, what are you signing up for?" Dad asked her. Sam had found that when she wasn't re-schooling horses with bad habits that she could also train horses she saved from the Auction yards or mustangs that dad let her adopt and train up until they were perfect horses. She often sold them through the rodeo circuits.

The horse she'd been training since the winter was a blue roan Quarter horse mare. Her name was Frost. "I've got Frost trained for barrel racing, as a cow-pony, and got her doin' some jumps too. I can't really show off the jumping at a rodeo unless I put her in a bronc arena which I'm not doin'. But I can ride her in the racing and roping events. Might be some folks looking for a smart cow-pony, might be someone lookin' for a horse they can float around and use in other rodeo events. Got a good deal for Honey when we sold her to that Canadian girl. Had a phone call the other day from her father askin' if I had anymore smart ponies trained up that I was lookin' to sell. Seems a friend o' his is lookin' for a cow-pony for his son's first horse."Sam said, pasing to take a dip of her coffee "Told him I had one he might like, trained up nice that I was takin' to Reno next week and might be willin' to part with for a decent price."

Sam smiled when Dad nodded. He was pleased.

"He told me he'd pass on the information and that he would be giving us a high recommendation. Seems his daughter is real impressed with Honey." Sam said, smiling futher when Dad's mouth threatened a smile. Sam knew without him saying so that he was proud of her for doing such a good job with Honey. They'd made good money when they sold Honey too. Really good money. Dad had been shocked when Sam handed him the check. They'd made more on Honey than he'd made years ago when he sold Banjo.

Mr. Noles had sought out Sam at the rodeo after she'd ridden the sixteen hand buckskin mare in the barrel race at a rodeo down in Las Vegas. He'd asked her a few questions about the mare's temperament and whether she was smart. Sam had told her that the mare had the makings of a decent dressage horse, and she did, when Sam had spotter her in the corrals at willow springs Sam had admired to smooth flowing gait of the mare as she trotted around the corral. She'd worked with Honey for a year and a half, gaining her title from the BLM.

Sam had been shocked when Mr. Noles made his offer though. It wasn't everyday a man would pay twelve thousand dollars for a horse. Especially for a trained mustang. Sam had jumped at the offer and when Dad had returned to the truck after attending an informational seminar on soil and how to improvement he'd been shocked to find Sam sitting on the ramp of the horse float with the Mare nowhere in sight. When he'd asked her where the horse was Sam had smiled at him, reaching into to her front pocket she handed him a check for twelve thousand dollars. It had knocked Dad on his ass. Sam remembered the way he'd slowly sunk down to sit next to her the ramp of the trailer.

Frost was another matter. Sam had saved her at an auction in Mineral. The mare had been bad tempered, underfed and all around neglected. At the time Sam hadn't actually known what color she was because she'd been caked in mud. She'd taken a chance and bid on her, but the mare was so thin and unhealthy looking that Sam had only paid fifty dollars for her. She'd later found out that the mare had belonged to an old woman who had grown too frail to care for properly. She was being sold at auction because the old woman had died and her grandchildren had no use for a horse.

The sad part was that Frost was only six years old. She was in her prime now that Sam had nourished her into the sweet, curious creature she was. Feeding her had become a priority to begin with, and Sam made sure that she got all the nutrients she needed. Doctor Scot had given her all her vaccines and put her on the path to recovery. Once she was strong enough Sam had set to work on the rest of her. For the first few weeks Frost had been too bad tempered to let Sam into the stall, but eventually she grown accustomed to Sam. Sam had been shocked and pleased when she managed to comb and wash all the mud from her blue roan coat.

Sam was drawn out of her musings suddenly. Glancing up Sam closed her eyes to listen, moments before Blaze and Singer both leapt to their feet barking. Above the racket pounding hooves could be heard as a horse galloped across River Bend Ranch's bridge.

Everyone in the kitchen got to their feet, Dad opening the door to let both noisy dogs out of the kitchen.

"SAM!" a voice screamed from outside. Sam knew that hysterical tone before she even spotted the Palomino mare skidding to a stop in the ranch yard. Sam watched for a moment as Jen leapt down off Silk Stockings, noticing immediately that she had either been or still was crying.

"Gram" Sam murmured quietly "Do you have any of your chocolate brownies?" Sam asked. Gram began to nod slowly while Jake and Dad both began to look uncomfortable as they stared at Sam.

"I get the feeling we're going to need them." Sam murmured again before slipping out the door to meet her hysterical best friends in the yard.


	10. Do Not Cry

**A/N: Hey guys. My apologies for the delayed upate. I started again last week, so my life has been a hectic tangle of organising my timetable and planning out my assignments and making new friends in college and catching up with the old ones. Anyways, i hope you are all still enjoying the story and that you loved my cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter =) Now i'm going to try and update when i can and i promise i'm setting asides an allotment of time to work on this story everyday. So my updates probably won't be going up every day, but i'm going to try for every few days and definitely at least once a week. Now, on to the good stuff.**

Chapter 10: Do Not Cry!

Grace Forster watched her granddaughter take Silly's reins before she wrapped Jennifer Kenworthy into a hug. There was a confused look to the movement. As though Sam sought to comfort her hysterical best friend but didn't know or understand what is was that she needed comfort for.

"Wyatt." Grace murmured "If you want to avoid the scene that's about to tumble into our kitchen, you should probably slip out now. Jen won't notice you slipping past them and Lands, every good ranch woman knows a cowboy hates a scene." Grace whispered to her son. He nodded slightly, before picking up his Stetson off the hook and placing it on his head. Jake moved to follow him.

"Hold it right there Jake Ely." Gram said softly. Jake and Wyatt both stopped to look at her. "I have a pretty good feeling that I know what this is about." Gram murmured to both men as they towered next to her, she gestured towards the girls in the yard. "Helen Coley mentioned there was to be a bit of excitement today, other than the return of the wandering Ely boys." Both men didn't change their facial expressions but Grace Forster had spent a lifetime learning the subtle shifts in stance or attitude of cowboys. They were both curious about this.

"Now, while Jen won't pay Wyatt any mind as he slips out, Jake is another matter. I believe you and Jen still don't get along, am I right? Grace asked Jake. He gave a faint nod. "Well now, based on her current state, the last thing Jen needs is to see a man your age. I'd be willing to bet that right now the only male Jen has any tolerance for is her Daddy. So you take this" Grace said, handing Jake a plate with a slice of his favorite pie and a fresh mug of coffee, "And get on upstairs out of sight."

Grace paused noticing the faint amusement on her son's face at the curious but disgruntled expression Jake wore.

"Go on now, both of you, get if you're goin'! Sam's almost inside with Jen." Grace said smiling when her son exited the house quietly slipping by the girls. Sam narrowed her eyes a little but she had a small grin. She knew just how hard a cowboy tried to avoid a scene. And Jen was certainly making a scene. Jake was almost out of the kitchen, headed for the stairs when Grace called softly "Jake, honey. I know how you don't want to witness this scene. Nothing worse than a blubbering girl. But I saw the look on your face this morning when you were asking Wyatt if you could court Sam. Might be that listening in on this conversation from the stairs could prove useful to you." Grace told him, watching his expression shift to one of boredom that masked his sparking curiosity.

Grace listened to Jakes steps as he climbed the stair, counting how many he took. He stopped halfway up the stairs just as Sam led Jen into the kitchen.

"Jen, why are you crying?" Sam's voice was stern. She'd asked a few times now and each time Jen just gave a hiccupping sob but didn't speak.

"Gram, we need brownies. And hot chocolate." Sam murmured to Gram. She helped Jen into a chair at the table and sank into the one next to her, taking her best friend's hand.

"Jennifer Kenworthy. Tell me why you're cryin'! Now!" Sam demanded, her voice clipped with irritation. While Sam still possessed every soft hearted emotion she'd ever had, she had very little patience for blubbering. As Jake had told her in the middle of the night, after the wild storm Tempest had been born in, "_No blubberin' unless there's blood!"_

Jen hiccupped again but Sam watched her rein in her hysteria. Then she took a deep breath.

"Sam… He left!" Jen said sadly. Sam froze her facial features in a blank look as Jen looked up at her through puffy red bloodshot eyes.

"Who left, honey?" Sam asked, letting her voice soften just a little. Sometimes being as hard and harsh as a cowboy would get you nowhere with a distressed teenage girl.

"Ryan!" Jen wailed before burying her head in her arms where they were folded on the table and sobbing into them.

Sam was silent for several minutes, alternating between staring at her friend and shooting questioning looks at her grandmother. Gram nodded a few times as though she understood what Jen was talking about.

"Jen." Sam began with forced patience "Spill it. I'm not draggin' every word out o' ya. If you're gonna be blubberin' and there's no blood, ya better get to talkin'." Sam said, letting her irritation creep into her tone just a little bit. She narrowed her eyes towards the stairs when she heard a faint snort. However, she couldn't see who it was that had snorted. She could guess though.

Slowly Jen sat up, meeting Sam's blue eyes with a watery gaze. Then she took a deep calming breath and Sam watched Jen pull out her cowgirl attitude, closing of her emotions so she could explain. Sam slid a plate of brownies towards her.

"Last night I was with Ryan." Jen began, her voice quaking a little bit. She stopped to take a drink of the hot chocolate Gram sat in front of her. Her gaze darted to Gram's face for a second and Sam caught on that Jen meant she'd slept with Ryan last night. She gave an imperceptible nod and Jen continued "We had a nice dinner and were laying on the lounge together, watching a movie. Anyway he got up and left the room. I thought he just had to go to the bathroom or something." Jen said her eyes glazed as she pictured the scene again in her mind.

Sam watched in fascination. Gram had a small smile on her face.

"A few minutes later he called me into the living room. You know how he does, with his accent. '_Jennifer? Can you please come in here for a moment?_'" Jen said, making Sam laugh as she put on a posh English accent.

"So I paused the movie and climbed off the lounge. Wandering along in sweat pants and a baggy jumper while I retied my hair until I got to the living room." Jen says sounding slightly appalled at her attire last night.

"He was on one knee in the middle of the room." Jen said bluntly. She didn't swoon over how Ryan was dressed or how romantic the whole thing could have been.

"On one freakin' knee with his palm held out towards me and an open ring box balanced on it!" Jen growls "And then he goes '_Jennifer. I love you and my heart aches when you're away. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?_'" Sam raised her eyebrows at the anger in her best friend's voice. She wasn't really shocked that Ryan had proposed to Jen. They'd been together for five years.

"Sam he bloody well proposed to me!" Jen exclaims, bewildered.

"Yeah I worked that one out Jen. Generally that's the term used for someone asking you to marry them." Sam drawled, trying to understand why Jen was making a big deal of it. Yes they were a little young, and there was no way Sam would be ready for marriage right now, but Jen and Ryan had been together for ages. And more importantly, they loved each other.

"Sam! He proposed and I just stood there with my mouth hanging open like gaping fish! I panicked! My brain just kept hurling information at me." Jen screeched.

"I'm only nineteen. I can't be getting married at nineteen. I'm still in college. I have to start my career before I can even consider getting married. Marriage means having to think about kids in the near future. I can't have kids yet. Lands, your Dad and Brynna are still having their own kids. I would not be ok with having kids the Sam age as your younger siblings. When I have kids I want them to be the same age as your kids so they can grow up and fall in love. I'm not ready for kids and husbands and responsibilities and all that stuff!" Jen was working herself into hysteria again.

Sam glanced over her shoulder, wondering if Jake was still listening from the stairs

"It would be a little weird to be getting married at nineteen. And you're totally right about the kids bit. How could we even think about being Moms when I'm about to be a big sister again?" Sam agreed softly. Gram's eyes searched Sam's face for a moment and Sam felt herself blush slightly.

"Exactly. He started to look nervous when I just stood there in shock. He told me he'd even asked for Dad's permission! And Dad said Yes! Can you believe it?" Jen demanded before taking a huge bite out of a chocolate brownie. She chewed it ferociously as Sam studied her best friend. Jen's long blonde hair was loose and knotty instead of being held in its usual dual plaits. She didn't have her glasses on. She wore pajama pants, silk ones with bunnies on them and a matching cotton tank top. Both Gram and Sam stayed silent as Jen ate her brownie.

"I mean, I'm sure dad agreed because he and Ryan get along well and we'd been together for ages. It was the next logical step, but I just couldn't do it Sammy. I couldn't say yes. So I told him that I was nowhere near ready to be getting married. Told him that maybe in five or six years I might be, after I get my diploma and set myself up as a vet. But not now and then I asked him if he loved me enough to graciously accept my declination." Jen said, her voice breaking just a little bit. Sam squeezed her hand lightly.

"He looked so sad Sam. Like I'd ripped his heart out, spat on it, kicked it around in the dirt and then let Silly stomp all over it." Jen gulped then tried to clear her throat at the lump that would no doubt be forming there.

"He told me he loved me again. Got up and put down the ring box. Left it sitting open on the table and left the room. You should've seen the diamond on that thing, Sam. It was ridiculous! That wasn't a gem, it was a lump of rock." Jen said sounding disgusted. "He really should've known me better than to buy such a huge diamond, or to go and propose at all. As if I need something that big. It would get in the way constantly and there would always be the risk of it falling out and getting lost on the range when Silly panics and thinks she's being attacked by a rabid butterfly. I'd have been afraid to wear it." Jen babbled at her. Sam grinned

"I know what you mean. No-one wants the type of engagement ring that's so precious you're afraid to wear it, at least not out here. Something like that could get lost anywhere, in the barn, in the straw of the stalls, on the range, in a cake. And I don't see the point of a ring that's so precious you have to wear it on a necklace." Sam said in agreement, noticing the way Gram turned her modest engagement ring and plain gold wedding band on her finger.

"Exactly. He didn't really have much to say for the rest of the night. When I woke up this morning he was gone. He left a note." Jen says, tears filling her eyes and spilling out onto her cheeks. She pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of the waist band of her pajamas and handed it to Sam to read.

Sam glanced down at Ryan's fancy handwriting.

_Dear Jennifer_

_I understand your reasons for refusing my proposal and I still love you. However after much deliberation I have decided to return to England. I will spend some time with my mother and Rachel. It has been a most amazing five years that I've spent with you as my girl. But your refusal has brought into perspective that I too am not really ready to get married. So I'm leaving the ranch in the capable hands of you and your parents. I will send payments regularly and have arranged with Jed to have him let me know how things are going in my absence. I may return one day, after all the beauty and peace and freedom of the range will no doubt call me back to a place my heart had begun to call home. In the meantime I need to clear my head. I think that to properly achieve that task, we must end our relationship. However you and your parents are all welcome to move into the house in my absence. Someone will need to live there to make sure everything still runs and that the place isn't overrun by vermin. As I mentioned, I am happy to continue making monetary contributions towards the ranch, so the bills will all be taken care of and I know how much you like the hot tub. I love you Jen, and I hope we will remain friends._

_Yours_

_Ryan Slocum. _

Sam scanned through the letter, reading it twice to memorize the information. It was a simple letter but Sam had no doubt that this letter would have hurt Jen more than her best friends would ever willingly admit. Not to mention that it was pitifully short as a farewell. It was even worse that Ryan hadn't been man enough to tell Jen goodbye and break up with her in person. Guess he never really got the hang of what it meant to "Cowboy Up" Sam mused. Jen had calmed considerably as she sipped her hot chocolate and chewed on her brownie. Sam slowly passed the letter over to Gram.

Gram took it and began to scan the paper as Sam returned her attention to her best friend. Jen's eyes were still red and puffy, but she seemed to have either cried herself out or pulled herself together for the time being.

"Slocum didn't even have the decency to tell you all of this in person?" Sam asked Jen, deliberately avoiding using Ryan's first name, knowing from experience how the name of the boy who'd left you behind could cut at your soul.

Jen shook her head.

"No, like I said, I got up this morning and he was gone. All his stuff was missing and all that was left was this note on the table. I haven't even told Mum and Dad yet, but I get the feeling from the letter that he may have discussed with my dad what he would be likely to do if I said no to his proposal. The first thing I did was saddle Silly, in hysterics the entire time and ride like a madwoman over to you." Jen said, looking sheepish about her earlier hysteria.

"Sakes, Sam I feel like such an idiot! No, worse than that, I feel like such a girl." Jen said, a self deprecating laugh in her voice. "I can't believe I broke down like that! After all it was obviously an option that he would leave if I said no. But that's really no excuse. All I could think about was getting to you. I knew you would be straight with me. You're so strong Sam. Here I am with my heart falling apart and balling my eyes out. While you" Jen said pausing to draw breath, obviously not noticing Sam's slightly widened eyes. Surely Jen wouldn't go on about her reactions to break up with Jake. Not with Jake listening from the stairs.

"Sam, I thought I knew how much pain you were in when Ely left. But you never cried on me, actually as far as I know you never once balled your eyes out like a baby. You just bit your lip, straightened your shoulders and got on with it. I knew you were putting on a brave face, but I'm only just beginning to realize how hard that must have been. I'm sorry I was such a lousy friend. I feel like I didn't really do much to help you through it at all. Actually you made me think that I didn't need to help you through it." Jen said. Sam closed her eyes for a moment, silently praying that Jake hadn't heard Jen say all that.

Jen obviously hadn't worked out that Jake was here though, because she just kept chattering.

"The first thing I could think of while I was saddling Silly like a crazy lady was that I had to get to you, because you know how to handle it, and you still love me, even when I'm so insensitive. My brain just kept telling me that I had to tell you, that you wouldn't think less of me for crying like a pathetic little girl, even when you never did yourself." Jen fixed Sam a watery smile "I need your help Sammy. What do I do now? How do I deal with this? How did you do it?" Jen asked her softly, her hand guiding several strands of her hair into her mouth.

Sam watched in fascination. Jen only ever chewed her hair when she was under too much stress. Sam's own hands moved to the thick rope of braided horsehair that hung around her neck. One hand toyed with the necklace, while the other played with the horsehair bracelet on her wrist. Both were hair from the Phantom, some from his forelock and mane, for her bracelet, and the hair from her necklace was hair she had combed with his fingers from his long tail. The Phantom had helped her every night as she cried her eyes out over the aching hole in her chest. His wild spirit and strong presence in her life had become a beacon of hope for her, he was an outlet for all her anger and pain and bitterness; he had pulled her through by visiting her every night and standing tall and strong and reliable.

Jen didn't have a special bond with a wild horse though. She only had Silly. Sam looked up and met her friend's eyes after several long minutes of silence.

"I don't really know what to tell you Jen." Sam murmured softly, watching her friends face fall slightly. Gram fixed Sam a look that said she had better try a little harder to think of how to help Jen through this heartbreak. Sam paused, glancing towards the stairs, biting her lips with indecision. But Jen needed her, even if it meant she had to humiliate herself in front of Jake.

"I put on my brave face, Jen. I guess you could try that. But to do that you need to be prepared to handle it when it feels like you've been sucker punched when someone mentions his name. You need to realize that when you're riding or working or doing something you always did together, that your brain is going to hurl images and nice feelings at you that will make your heart ache like it's been slashed open. You need to accept that when you see a picture of the two of you, you're gonna feel like someone has whacked you in the guts with a lead pipe. But more importantly, Jen, if you wanna deal with it like I did; every time you feel like that, which is gonna happen all the damn time, you'll have to cowgirl up. " Sam told her. Jen raised her eyebrows, while Gram frowned, possibly in shock to hear Sam say such things when she usually clammed up about feelings.

Sam bit her lip for a moment positive Jake was still listening, no doubt straining to hear her as she murmured softly to Jen.

"What I'm saying here Jen, is that every time someone says his name, or you see him in a photo or you think about the good times and you feel like you're going to cry until the hole in your chest stops hurting; don't. Don't mope or don't wallow in sadness and self pity. Keep busy, if you don't have time to think, then you're brain can't think about him. Do you understand what I'm sayin'?" Sam paused, hoping Jen would nod.

"I'm saying bite your lip, clench your fist, tug your hat down, ride hard, clam up tighter that a crab's ass, if you have to. But do not let yourself cry!"Sam said loudly, before adding "At least not where anyone can see you."


	11. Gram

**A/N: Hey guys, thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. They make me smile. I Loved the story suggestion, but after reading through the real Phantom Stallion books i realised that the next cattle drive wouldn't be until autumn, as this story began in summer, not spring and the big Catlle drive is held in spring. I'm hoping that Sam and Jake will have rebonded before Autumn... But i loved the suggestion, if i'd set this a little sooner i would have definitely thought of some way to work it into the story. =)**

**I hope you guys like the new chapter. I'm working on getting them written and edited as fast as i can so that i can update quickly. But i promise i won't wander away from this until i finish it. There won't be any abandoned status! Scout's Honour! =) Please Review! E xx.**

Chapter 11: Gram.

Sam was almost dressed for the party over at Three Ponies Ranch. Everything was all organized and ready to go. She had the old guitar Gram had given that used to belong to Grandad ready by the door. Gram had dug it out of her top cupboard when Sam had asked Dallas and Nate to co-teach her to play.

Jen had left around lunch time, after she and Sam had both worked with Frost. Jen had not been pleased when she realized Jake was here. Gram however had managed to distract Jen while Jake slipped out of the house, so that he could pretend he had been in the barn. Sam had narrowed her eyes as he'd jogged across the yard after stopping on the porch to snag his duffel bag and wink at Sam.

After Jen had left Sam had asked Jake to get up on Frost to help teach her to accept male riders. She'd had Dad Dallas, Ross and Pepper all get up on her, but she wanted to see how the mare would do with Jake, as a man she hadn't grown accustomed to during her healing process here on the ranch. She'd done well, ignoring Witch's demanding jealous whinnies. She hadn't played up beneath Jake at all and Sam was beginning to feel confident about taking her to the rodeo in Reno to sell her. It would be sad to see her go, but Sam knew she couldn't keep all the horses she saved. They just couldn't afford so many horses on River Bend. And she already had Ace, Tempest, and Witch.

Well… Had Witch. Now that Jake was back Witch would be going back to Three Ponies. Sam didn't feel too sad about that, after all, the mare was still lazy. Sam had taken to keeping her in a stall in the barn rather than in the Ten Acre Pasture because it made her so much easier to catch. It also kept Witch and Strawberry from fighting. She'd spent the afternoon paying attention to Frost, putting her through all the paces she could think of, testing the mare's limits. Jake had spent the afternoon by her side, pushing Witch through the same activities. Sometimes he offered small suggestions on improving something slightly, but for the most part they had worked in comfortable silence.

He'd left a little over an hour ago, mumbling that he better get home before his mother started to worry he'd forgotten the way home. He'd piled Singer into his truck and borrowed their horse float to trailer Witch back over to Three Ponies ranch where she belonged.

Now Sam had to decide on something to wear. Which was proving impossible!

"Sam honey didn't you tell Quinn that you would be over there by five o'clock tonight to plan out all the songs the group of you will be playing tonight?" Gram called from down the hall "Because it's almost four thirty now… Oh!" Sam whirled around to look at Gram where she stood in her bedroom doorway.

Gram raised her eyebrows at Sam. Sam glanced down at herself, she was only wearing underwear at the moment. When she glanced around the room she understood why Gram was staring at her as though she had sprouted wings. Her room looked like a department store had thrown up on it. All over the room clothing laid in crumpled heaps, some on the floor, others piled on the bed. Sam had been going through her entire wardrobe trying to find something to wear.

"Land Sakes, Samantha! What happened in here?" Gram exclaimed, bustling into the room looking exasperated. Sam felt herself begin to blush a little. She'd been being ridiculous. Just because Jake was home didn't mean she should act any differently to how she always did. She shouldn't be in here trying on a million different outfits. She should be dressed and ready to go.

"Honey, is all this because Jake's home?" Gram asked her when Sam didn't reply. "Because, while you might have forgotten, that boy has seen you covered in mud from head to foot, actually if I'm remembering correctly he was the one who caused you to be covered in mud." Gram said chuckling at the memory. Sam smiled a little at that.

"Sam, shut the door a minute." Gram told her, settling herself onto the foot of Sam's bed and picking up some of the discarded articles to fold. Stiffly Sam did as she was told, just knowing as she did so that this was going to be an uncomfortable conversation. As the door clicked closed softly Sam couldn't help feeling that she had just shut off her only route of escape.

Slowly Sam turned back towards Gram, acutely aware that she was only wearing her underwear. Gram didn't seem to mind though.

"You're as bad as Wyatt when you get that stubborn look in your eyes Sam." Gram stated as her eyes scanned Sam's face, her eyes were soft though. "You both get it from Eldon." Gram murmured, her eyes misting over as she spoke the name of her long-dead husband.

"Are you ok Gram?" Sam asked cautiously, Gram rarely mentioned her lost husband, at least, she didn't mention him to Sam.

"Of course I am honey." Gram said, focusing back on Sam and smiling at her "Now then" Gram began, watching Sam closely. Sam felt herself begin to shift restlessly so she clenched her fist and walked slowly back to her wardrobe.

"Samantha when are you going to admit it?" Gram asked her sternly.

Sam clenched her fist a little tighter and didn't turn around as she replied

"Admit what, Gram?"

She heard Gram sigh exasperatedly, so she turned.

"Sam don't play dumb with me. You might have convince the rest of the world that you just bit your lip and clenched your fist about Jake leaving, but you have photo evidence hanging on your wall. Even this morning Jen said she didn't know how much he hurt you by leaving. Your Wyatt and Brynna might have guessed that you were hiding some of how much it hurt you but Honey, I was here, the pictures on your wall that I took, don't do justice to the amount of pain you were in. I didn't say anything to anyone because I saw how hard you worked to keep your feelings under wrap." Gram said with a sad sort of smile.

"None of us said a word when you left the house late at night to meet your mustang at the river. We didn't mention it when you started that braided horsehair necklace, which is now thicker than Dallas's fingers. You threw yourself at every task we could give you with such intensity that it scared me honey. You locked away any form of emotion for so long, shutting down like a cowboy in a crowd. You worked at your school work until you were getting top marks in everything and it still wasn't enough for you, was it?" Gram didn't give her time to answer the question although Sam suspected it was rhetorical anyway.

"Even with all the ranch work we threw at you and the time you were taking to gentle your mare, you had to Get Brynna to give you a job at Willow Springs in the corrals with all those mustangs, you had to get in touch with Trudy and Preston and help them out with their "Wild Horse Eco-Vacation" program, which Wyatt is still calling a dude ranch. You had to build your friendship Ely boys that are still living at Three Ponies Ranch. Lands Samantha, you threw yourself at life so hard I thought it would break you." Gram said slowly

"It took me awhile to realize that you had broken already. I held you when you cried the day he left Honey, but I suppose that I convinced myself that just that one big good cry would empty your hurt. You were so reckless honey, so much so that I feared we'd lose you like we lost Louise. Thank the stars we didn't." Gram paused for a moment.

"After that incident with the stampede, I think you snapped. Somehow you threw yourself even harder at life. Only this time when you threw yourself into everything you could, you threw in your whole heart." Gram told her. "And it worked for you I think, these past four years you learned so much that if we all fell off the face of the world tonight you could keep this ranch running with as much efficiency as ever."

"Thanks Gram" Sam mumbled, hooking her fingers into the waistband of her underpants when she realized she had no jean pockets and watching her feet as she scuffed her left foot against the carpet

"You're welcome honey, but now Jake's back." Gram stated, Sam looked up at her with raised eyebrows, not entirely sure where the all the stuff she'd done in the past few years connected to Jake's return.

"Sam, he's intending to stay. We all know that, even you. I want to know when you're going to admit to yourself that you still love him. You never really stopped, honey." Gram told her. Sam fidgeted.

"Now, while you still haven't admitted it, your obvious distress over your clothing for tonight is a sure sign. Would you like my help honey?" Gram asked her, a smile wrinkling its way across her lined faced. Sam nodded.

"You're intending to ride over aren't you?" Gram asked her as she got to her feet. Sam nodded again.

"Would you be open to changing your mind and taking your truck? I think you should, that way we can dress you in something that isn't jeans for a change. And Cody wants to go over to Three Ponies with you." Gram told her as she strode towards Sam's wardrobe.

"I guess I could Hester." Sam replied, referring to her Chevrolet truck "Make it easier to take my guitar. Cody can come with me, that way he'll be out of the way for your trip over with Brynna."

Gramm nodded with a smile and patted Sam's cheek.

"Well then I think you should wear this, with these shoes." Gram told her, holding out article of clothing for Sam to put on. "Go on and put those on and get downstairs. Cody is ready to go and if you don't get going you are going to be late. I won't have those Ely boys ringing my phone off the hook looking for you so they can organize themselves again!"


	12. Surprise!

**A/N: Hey guys. Another chapter, just for you. I hope y'all are still enjoying the story. Srry the last chapter was so short, but this is a nice long one fore you. Enjoy, and please review and tell me what you think of the surprise I've thrown into the mix =P xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 12: Surprise!

Jake Ely watched the maroon Chevrolet truck pull into the ranch yard of the Three Ponies and roll to a stop next to Kit's grey truck. Jake and his brother were all in various spots around the ranch yard, under strict instructions from their mother to make sure the place was cleaned up. Jake was helping Nate and Brian put out chairs and bales of hay around the yard for people to sit on. Adam and Quinn were arranging several serving tables and organizing speakers and music equipment. All the Ely brothers were helping. Excluding Kit, who was still inside while Maxine Ely made him put ice on his new black eye.

Jake paused, still holding onto a bale of hay when the doors of the truck opened. From where he stood he watched little Cody Forster explode out of the truck wearing boots, blue jeans and a kid sized pearl snap long sleeve shirt, his Stetson firmly in place over his red hair. He held a full pie dish.

"'Bout bloody time!" Quinn shouted across the yard as the driver's side door opened. "Since when do you show up…..?" Jake understood completely why Quinn trailed off when Sam walked around the end of her truck. Jake knew he was staring, but he got the feeling he wasn't the only one.

Sam looked amazing. She wore a blue dress. It had short, split fluttery sleeves that fell over her shoulders but shifted restlessly in the breeze. The front dipped in a tasteful V towards her cleavage and the waist hugged closely around her ribs. The skirt of the dress hung around Sam's hips and legs and fell to her knees in a way that suggested it would fan out if she were to twirl. On her feet she wore a pair of black ankle boot wedge high heels. Her hair hung in soft waves down her back and she had pinned back segments from the front that usually hung around her face.

In one hand she carried an old guitar by the neck and balanced on the fingertips of her other hands she carried a platter covered with snacks. Jake watched hungrily as Sam swayed her way across the yard. She walked in the high heels as though she wore such things every day. Not once did she stumble or almost over-balance or even look uncomfortable. Cody walked next to her, the top of his head was in line with Sam's hip when she wore those shoes.

"Sam, honey, How are you?" Maxine Ely called from the porch, her blonde hair tossing in the afternoon breeze. "Hey there Cody." She said.

"Hi Maxine, I'm well thanks, how are you?" Sam asked her, smiling at the woman who had once been her high school history teacher. Sam counted Maxine Ely among her close friends, as she had spent countless hours here at Three Ponies ranch chattering to Maxine during the last few years.

"Hello Mrs. Ely." Cody said boldly, holding out the pie dish he was carrying towards her "Gram told me to give this to you." He said with a grin. Maxine chuckled and took the dish from the small boy.

Sam smiled down at her little brother. She was acutely aware of the fact that all of the Ely boys, including Jake, were slowly moving towards them and that they were all staring at her. It was very rare that Sam wore dresses and even rarer that she wore high heels.

"Honey, you look beautiful." Maxine told her with a bright small. Sam blushed red. "So beautiful that you managed to render even Quinn speechless apparently." She said glancing around at her sons where they stood in front of the porch.

"Hey guys." Sam said, her eyes darting between the five of them. They all nodded at her slightly but kept staring. She had to drag her eyes away from Jake's when she met his gaze.

"What happened to you?" Nate asked, sounding shocked. Maxine snorted at her sons.

"You're all being ridiculous!" She told them "I know for a fact that you've all seen Sam in a dress and heels before because you all attend Wyatt and Brynna's wedding. What is wrong with you?" She teased them, smiling at each of them.

"It's cos you're so pretty Sammy." Cody told her sweetly, tugging gently on the hem of her dress.

"Thanks Codester" Sam told him with a smile. "I made these, so I make no promises as to how they'll taste although I made Cody try one and he hasn't died of food poisoning yet, which I'm taking as a good sign." Sam said to Maxine with a smile was she twisted her wrist to display the assortment of sweet treats on the platter she carried.

"Oh you shouldn't have told them that Sam" Maxine said, grinning at her "For all that they insult it, I know for a fact that the boys are rather fond of your cooking. In fact I think I heard Adam just the other day saying that he hoped you were cooking for tonight and that sometimes your cooking was better than Grace's." She continued with a sly look at her son.

Adam blushed when Sam beamed at him.

"Now then, I'll take these inside" Maxine said, taking the platter from Sam and holding it and the pie dish up. "You can all stay out here and plan the rest of your evening. I'll send Kit out in a minute." She said, before turning and going back inside. Sam leant her guitar against the wall on the porch before turning to look at the boys.

"Would y'all quit starin'?" Sam mumbled at them. Quinn chuckled, and Sam noticed the way Jake's eyes smiled in amusement at her embarrassment.

"Look at Samantha, all fancied up like a lady" Quinn teased her softly, his eyes twinkling. Quinn had suspected for a long time now that Sam still had feelings for Jake. Sam narrowed her eyes on him for a moment but decided that this was definitely not the moment to discuss that.

"But Quinn, Sammy looks pretty!" Cody protested on her behalf just as Sam opened her mouth to reply. All the Ely men grinned down at the little boy.

"You tell 'em Cody" Jake told him with a small smile, his mustang eyes meeting Sam's "You know what you're talkin' 'bout."

Sam looked back at him for several long moments, ignoring the way Jake's brothers snickered quietly.

"Cody, you are without a doubt the best brother a girl could ask for." Sam told the little boy, breaking her staring match with Jake to bend down and hug her brother close. The little boy laughed with delight and wrapped his arms around Sam's neck and hugged her close. Sam smiled and stood up, lifting him in the process.

"You gonna save me a dance for later little man?" Sam asked him.

Cody nodded vigorously, making all of the Ely's smile. Adam cleared his throat softly, but Sam could tell it was to get her attention. She glanced over to him and met his green eyes.

"Somethin' you should know…" Adam began, but before he could interrupt the Kitchen door banged open loudly.

Sam glanced over her shoulder at a man who couldn't be anyone but Kit Ely.

"Surely that can't be little Samantha Forster, all growed up 'n wearin' a dress?" Kit drawled as he stepped out onto the porch. Sam smiled at him. She hadn't seen Kit since she was fifteen, but he had changed considerably.

Sam bent and stood Cody on his feet before turning to face Kit.

"How ya doin' there Ely?" Sam drawled right back at him with a grin. Kit smiled at her and opened his arms for a hug as though they were old friends that hadn't seen each other in years. Which technically they were, but it wasn't like they'd been good friends.

"Get over here and hug me like you got some manners girly." Kit ordered her when she didn't move towards him. Sam studied his face. Kit had a swollen black eye that looked fresh. His face was tanned dark from his years spent in the Hawaiian sun, but Sam noticed several lines around his eyes and at the corner of his mouth that smacked of worry, responsibilities and pain. Sam stepped into his arms and hugged him warmly before stepping back and studying him again.

"What collided with your eye socket?" Sam asked him bluntly. Kit grinned at her directness.

"Jake's fist." He replied. Sam raised her eyebrows questioningly before she spun and rounded on Jake.

"You haven't seen your brother in four years and the first thing you do when you finally see him is a throw a punch?" Sam demanded. Jake clenched his jaw but gave her a hard stare. Sam narrowed her eyes on him angrily.

"I deserved it Sam." Kit said from behind her. Sam narrowed her eyes even further on Jake, but he just stared back at defiantly. Sam turned back to Kit and raised her eyebrows questioningly. Before he could reply though Sam noticed the kitchen door opening again behind Kit but she couldn't see who it was. Kit glanced down as a small face appeared next to his thigh.

"Hey baby." He murmured. The little girl tilted her head back to look up at Kit's face and Sam froze her face in a blank look. Kit bent down and lifted the little girl into his arms.

"Tia, baby. I want you to meet someone. This here's Samantha Forster." He told the little girl. Sam stared at the little girl in Kit's arms.

She had long black hair, and her skin was a few shades darker than Kit's but when she looked shyly at Sam, Sam could see that she had Kit's eyes.

"Samantha, I want you to meet my daughter, Tiarnna Malu Ely." Kit said softly, cuddling he little girl close. Sam stood there in shock for what felt like hours. Kit had a daughter? Biting back her curiosity and the flood of questions that poured into her brain Sam smiled brightly at the little girl and held her hand out.

"It's very nice to meet you Miss Tiarnna Malu Ely. I'm Sam" Sam told the little girl. Slowly Tia reached out her small brown hand and shook Sam's.

"Hi Sam." The little girl said in a sweet voice with a shy smile. Sam beamed at her "And might I ask how old you are Tia?" Sam asked her curiously. The little girl let go of her Daddy and held both arms out to Sam.

Sam was a little surprised but she took the little girl in her arms when Kit passed her over.

"I'm almost four." Tia told her in a strong voice, smiling as she wrapped her arms around Sam's neck. Sam smiled softly when she felt another small hand tugging curiously on the hem of her dress. Cody was curious about this little girl as well. For just a moment Sam's eyes searched Kit's face. His eyes begged her not to think badly of him for keeping the fact of his daughter's existence from his family until now.

"Well might I say you are a very well mannered almost four year old." Sam told the little girl as she perched Tia on her hip so she could look into the little girl's face. With her free hand she reached down and took hold of Cody's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze that told him to be patient. He clutched her hand tight.

"Thank you" Tia replied, smiling happily at Sam's compliment.

"Now Miss Tiarnna, would you perhaps like to meet my little brother? He's just a little bit older than you and I happen to know is he's goin' crazy with curiosity to meet you." Sam asked Tia with an encouraging smile. When the little girl nodded shyly Sam bent her legs until she could stand Tia on her feet. She squatted between Cody and Tia, watching with a smile as they eyed each other curiously.

"Tia this is Cody Forster, my brother." Sam told the little girl "Codester this is Tia Ely." Sam said smiling encouragingly at her auburn haired little brother. Cody was the first to move. Slowly, with every politeness of the West he held out his hand to the little girl to shake. Tia reached out as well and shook his hand. Sam grinned when they both squeezed the respective hands of hers that they were both holding onto.

"You wanna play with me?" Cody asked her when Tia let go of his hand. Tia smiled shyly and glanced up at her Daddy. Kit nodded his head and smiled. Cody glanced sideways at Sam to make sure it was ok with her if he went off playing instead of sticking to her side as he usually did.

"Ok" Tia replied. Sam grinned as they both let go of her hands and ran off the porch, chattering to each other. Sam stood back to her full height, watching as they began a game of hide and seek in the ranch yard.

"I'll make you a bet right now that one day that pretty little girl falls head over heels in love with my baby brother." Sam said to the group of silent Ely men. Kit smiled and from in the kitchen Sam heard Maxine begin to laugh at her proclamation.

"Now, was I the only one who didn't know you've been a father for almost four years?" Sam asked Kit, trying to keep the accusing note out of her voice. Kit rubbed the back of his neck looking uncomfortable.

"Naw. No-one from home knew." He muttered to her. Sam frowned at him. Knowing she was overstepping the boundaries Sam couldn't stop her words.

"Well than you're lucky that until now Jake was the only one who hit you." Sam said, letting fly her right fist until it collided hard with Kit's chest.

"You're a Jerk for keeping that sweet little girl's existence a secret from your family Kit Ely." Sam growled at him "There is nothing ok about this situation!" Sam continued, finding that she was angry on behalf of all the Ely's. Knowing the other boys like she did, Sam knew they would've all clenched their fists and said nothing at the news that they'd all been uncles for almost four years. Only Jake was apparently mad enough to lose it and hit his brother.

Kit opened his mouth like he might say something but Sam cut him off before he could begin.

"Nope, don't you even be thinkin' for a second that you can spout excuses here, Ely. It was a rotten thing to do, keepin' this from your family." Sam's voice cut through the air "You listen to me right now, them three birthdays she's already spent without her grandparents or uncles are years none of you will get back." Sam snarled.

"I know." Kit said heavily. Sam's hand twitched at the amount of pain in those words. "Her mom died a few months ago." Kit told Sam, looking close to tears. Sam watched him clench his jaw to keep the tears down. His actions told Sam that he was still dealing with his grief.

"All the more reason that your family should've know about her before you showed up here today with a four year old." Sam said, refusing to let the squeeze in her heart confuse her irritation. "Cos I'd bet good money that you been in no shape to be lookin' after that little girl these past few months." Sam told him. Kit looked up and met her eyes, anger sparking in his brown eyes at her implication that he had probably been am inadequate father in the time since losing Tia's mother. Sam didn't stand and listen to him try to defend himself though. She was too angry to care that she'd been rude or even if she'd hurt Kit's feelings.

If he couldn't handle the outrage of his family that she threw at him for them, then he shouldn't have kept the fact that he had a daughter from them for the last four years.

Sam spun around in her heels and strode across the porch. Jake's face showed a small pleased smile and Sam noticed that the other Ely brothers may not have been smiling but they all looked as though they agreed with what she'd said. Sam squeezed between Jake and Nate to step off the porch, her shoulder brushing against Jake as she did so.

Stepping off the porch Sam turned towards the Ely's horse pasture and strode towards the fence, wavering only slightly in her heels. Despite her oddly rolling anger Sam felt her lips smile when Witch looked up and nickered before trotting towards the fence to meet Sam. Behind her she heard Quinn's voice.

"Don't know how she does it, but that girl has every creature she meets under her spell."Sam glanced back over her shoulder for a moment as she let herself into the pasture and stroked Witch's velvet nose. "You remember how that mare used to take off at the first sign that someone might be comin' catch her unless it was Jake? Now look at her, got that pony schooled like big ol' dog." He said sounding impressed and slightly disbelieving.

Sam turned back to face Witch, smiling softly at the praise.

"Still got no manners to speak of." Kit grumbled. He was still angry.

"You deserve a ruder cussin' out than the one that girl gave you Kit!" Came a deep voice from the barn. Sam turned to see Mac Ely striding out of the barn. Sam smiled, she had developed an interesting friendship with Jake's grandfather in the last few years, and the elder man had taught her many important lessons about life and filled her head with Shoshone legends and histories that made her smile.

Sam glanced over to watch Kit watch his boots and scuff his foot against the porch beneath his grandfather's hard stare. She would leave them to think over her words for a while. Besides, she'd probably get better conversation out of Witch than she would from any of the Ely's right now. Sam went back to scratching all of Witch's favorite spots, singing softly to the mare.

She didn't look up when Witch nickered again, but when a large familiar mahogany hand appeared next to her small tanned one where it rested against Witch's black coat and a familiar spicy scent hit her nostrils, Sam couldn't quite hide her smile.


	13. Takes a Man

**A/N: My apologies for the slow udates my cherubs I'll try harder to avoid keeping you waiting. I hope you like the new chapter. Please Revieiw. xx-Kitten**

Chapter 13: Takes a Man

The party was in full swing as Sam filled her plate with food. As had become the custom for these types of gatherings, the pot luck food ranged in variety from Luke Ely's chilly to Gram's fried chicken to spring rolls and mini pies and cakes, slices, biscuits and pies. The general rule was that if you attended, you bought a plate or a dish of something. Even it was just something store-bought, you showed up with food.

Sam was feeling nervous. The type of nervous she hadn't felt since she'd gone before the student council for approval of the Have a Heart program. After she finished her food it would be time for her to get up on the make shift stage the Ely brothers had put together by piling several bales of hay next to each other and sing for the entertainment of all these people. Most of the people here had heard her sing for a crowd every now and then, but there were a few people in attendance that hadn't heard her before. Namely Jacob Ely.

"Sam?" Jen's voice called loudly from behind her "Surely that girl can't be Samantha Anne Forster!" Jen exclaimed when Sam turned around slowly to smile at her best friend.

"Who else who put up with you screamin' out like that?" Sam drawled at her friend with a lazy grin spreading across her face.

Jen started to laugh as she walked towards Sam. "Who wrestled you down, to get you into those shoes?" Jen asked her incredulously, staring down at Sam's feet.

Sam looked Jen up and down. Jen wore a sun dress in a vibrant shade of yellow and her feet were wrapped in a pair of strappy brown sandals. Of course, for functions like this Jen usually wore a dress.

"Gram. Shoulda seen her, she pinned me down after tacklin' me to the ground and wrestled 'em onto my feet. Turns out they'd been filled with super glue." Sam told Jen, grinning when her friend rolled her eyes. Sam picked up a mini sausage roll and popped the whole thing into her mouth, making Jen snort at her bad manners.

"You're lookin' real nice, partner." Sam told her when she finished chewing. Jen blushed a little.

"Might be you catch yourself a new man" Sam told her, eyes twinkling "One that won't go makin' grand gestures and springin' 'em on ya when you're wearin' your trackies." Sam's eyes laughed as she watched Jen begin to smile.

"You think I should maybe get to catchin' me a real cowboy?" Jen drawled back at her. Callie Thurston chimed in as she moved towards them.

"Jen honey, everyone knows that there's really no other choice for a girl when her Daddy's a cowboy but to land herself a cowboy of her own." Callie said grinning while Sam took note of their friend's glittering new spiky nose stud and her currently cyan blue hair. "Besides, are there really folks out there that think a boy can be a real man if he's not a cowboy?" She added grinning with a wink. "Born to the saddle, so that one day he'll walk as bow-legged as Dallas?"

Callie had been dating Adam Ely for a few months now. By the sounds of it Callie was impressed with her boyfriend. Callie had come a long way in the past four years. She had passed her beautician's degree at University, and now ran a little beauty shop where she did hair and nails and facials, and all those beauty things. She had also managed to work on her bond with Queen, the tiger dun mare who had once been the lead mare for the Phantom. They were now and amazing team of horse and rider and Queen seemed happy. Unlike Dark Sunshine, Queen never gazed longingly for the range and her lost freedom.

Sam also knew that Adam was a little bit smitten with the girl who had different colored hair every week. Maxine didn't seem as convinced that Callie Thurston was the one for one her sons, though she liked Callie. Adam of course, never let on how he felt about Callie, not when he had brothers that would tease him for such sissy nonsense. But Sam could tell by the way he watched her when he though no one was looking. He was a typical cowboy in the way he expressed his feelings, his heart gleaming out through his eyes, making him tip his hat down.

"She's right, you know?" Sam said grinning, "Your Daddy wouldn't be real pleased if you found yourself a man who could barely sit the saddle or throw a rope. In fact I think you'd be fairly disappointed as well. We can all do those things. Man's gotta be able to look out for his girl, hey Callie?" Sam asked, grinning at Jen who's eyes had glazed over while she pictured bringing home a city slicker from her Minnesota college.

"Ain't that the truth?" A familiar voice cut in. Sam grinned over her shoulder at Jake's best friend Darrell. Darrell was a mechanic these days, and he had been dating Ally since before Jake left.

"Hey there, Samantha girl." Darrell drawled at her, throwing a lazy arm around her shoulders. "Well if it ain't Jen Kenworthy." Darrell began, Sam cringed at the words she knew were coming "I ain't see you in a month o' Sundays, little lady." At least he got the phrase right but every time he said it Sam could only think of that awful Linc Slocum.

"Hi Darrell." Jen said sarcastically, his relationship with Ally, who had become close friends with Jen and Sam though high school had taught Jen a tolerance for him, but Sam knew Jen wasn't Darrell's biggest fan. Actually, now that Sam thought about it, Jen was never really a fan of the boys her friends loved.

"Oi Sam!" I voice cried out over the crowd, interrupting before Darrell could say anything else. Quinn Ely was standing, over near the Ely's stone barn with all of his brothers as well as the rest of them men at this shindig. Dad and Jed and Dallas and Pepper and Ross and Dr. Scott and Preston and Mac and Luke and all of the Ely brothers. Next to Quinn Sam could see Jake's mustang eyes gleaming from beneath his hat, and he was watching her with them slightly narrowed a the arm Darrell had wrapped around her. Sam raised her eyebrows.

"What?" She shouted back, watching Gram spin towards her with narrowed eyes at the bad manners of shouting across a crowd.

"You ready yet?" Quinn hollered, waving a gesturing had towards their makeshift stage. Sam glanced at her watch, it was getting to the stage of the evening where everyone would be contentedly fed and ready for some music. Sam grinned at the small feeling of nervousness curling through her stomach. She hadn't felt nervous like this since she was in her freshman year. It had to be because of Jake. Picking up the last spring roll on her plate Sam munched it down, shrugging Darrell's arm off her shoulders so she could put her plate down.

Still taking bites out of the spring roll she wandered slowly across the ranch yard of the Three Ponies Ranch in her high heeled shoes that were beginning to hurt her feet. She could feel several pairs of eyes on her, but Sam didn't glance over her shoulder to see who they might belong to. Instead she strolled up the steps and across the porch to pick up her old guitar. Lifting the shoulder strap over her head Sam hung the guitar around her and made her way back down the steps.

Quinn let loose an earsplitting cowboy yell and began moving towards their stage. Adam and Nate followed him.

"Sammy!" Cody Forster cried out over the chuckling crowd of people before the little boy came running up to her. Tia Ely was a few steps behind him.

"Sammy, will you sing my bed song?" Cody asked her sweetly. Sam grinned, he loved the lullaby she sang for him every night. "You didn't ding it last night." Cody added, sounding very hopeful.

"Only if you promise to save me a dance, little man." Sam smiled down at her brother. He leapt into the air with his arms raised in victory. "I promise Sammy." He cried running in a circle around her. Sam caught him when he was in front of her again and squatted down in her heels. Letting her guitar hang down her back

"Do I get a hug for luck?" She asked him. Tia giggled when Cody threw his arms around Sam. Sam cuddled him for a moment before setting him go and getting to her feet. Everyone was watching Sam with her little brother and she felt herself begin to blush. Lifting her chin fractionally Sam strode over to her hay bale stage and took the hand up that Quinn offered her.

"Y'all know the ones we're playing tonight?" Sam asked them. They all nodded. Sam took a deep breath and switched on her microphone.

"Ok, hey everyone." Sam said into it, cringing at the butterflies in her tummy at the volume of the microphone. The crowd chorused a greeting back at her.

"So we're gonna pay an old favorite first." Sam said, positioning her guitar as she spoke. Then she glanced over her shoulders at the boys. "Ready when you are." Adam said softly. Sam nodded and he hit play on the CD player. None of them played the violin, so they played it through the speakers. Sam took a deep breath as the first notes sliced through the air. Then she opened her mouth and started to sing the lyrics of her favorite song.

_Her Daddy gave her, her first pony_

_Then taught her to ride._

_She climbed high in that saddle, fell I don't know how many times,_

_Taught her a lesson that she learned, maybe a little too well_

_Cowgirls Don't Cry_

_Ride, baby, Ride_

_Lesson of life are gonna show you in time,_

_Soon enough you're gonna know why._

_It's gonna hurt every now and then, if you fall get back on again._

_Cowgirls Don't Cry._

Sam felt herself smile at the words she sang and the boys and her, played their respective instruments. Sam could see the people in the crowd smiling at the old favorite. Except Jake. Jake had bumped his hat back to see better and was staring at her with his mouth open in shock.

_She grew Up, She got married._

_Never was quite right,_

_She wanted a house, a home and babies._

_He started comin' home late at night._

_She didn't let him see it break her heart, she didn't let him see her faaalll apart._

_Cause cowgirls don't cry, _

_Ride, baby, Ride_

_Lessons of life are gonna show you in time, soon enough you're gonna know why_

_It's gonnna hurt every now and then, if you fall get back on again_

_Cowgirls don't cry._

Sam was watching Jake as he stared at her. He kept trying to compose his face into his blank look, but then she'd sing the next line and he'd lose it again. She caught Dad's eyes, he was smiling at her proudly as he reached over and pushed Jake jaw up for him.

_Phone rang early one mornin'_

_Her momma's voice, she'd been cryin'_

_Said, It's your daddy, you need to come home, this is it_

_I think he's dying._

_She laid the phone down by his head,_

_The last words that he said_

Sam paused in the song, as she was supposed to, smiling softly before continuing with Quinn's voice chiming in for the last verse

_Cowgirl, Don't Cry._

_Ride, Baby, ride_

_Lessons of life show us all in time_

_Too soon, God'll let you know why._

_If you fall, get right back on_

_The good lord calls everybody home_

_Cowgirl don't cry!_

Sam smiled as the song ended and everyone clapped for them. That was by far her favorite song. Sam noticed Kit staring at her in shock like Jake had, though he hid it a little better by not having his mouth hanging open.

"The next one is for you Kit." Sam said softly into the microphone. Then she stuck at the guitar and broke into the next song, which she had to admit was rather appropriate for the current situation. Then Sam began crooning the words into the microphone.

_She locked her fingers and bowed her head_

_She said I'm late and I'm really scared_

_Now you can go, but I hope you stay_

_I'm gonna keep it either way._

Sam watched the crowd raise their eyebrows, they'd never heard this song before.

_In My daddy's el Camino _

_In her driveway in the rain_

_Staring through the windshield_

_I could see my future change_

_And my heart hit like a hammer_

_And my thoughts were running wild_

_Any fool can make a baby_

_But it takes a man, to raise a child._

Sam watched the lyrics register in the brains of the people she cared about. Kit's eyes widened slightly, and Sam could see him wondering if this was Sam's way of saying what she thought of the situation. She nodded slightly. Jake watched her with an unreadable expression.

_I laid My head down on the wheel_

_She said 'I know, I Know it don't seem real'_

_She closed her eyes but the tears flowed through_

_She said 'Don't hate me, for loving you'_

_In my daddy el Camino_

_In her driveway in the rain_

_Staring through that windshield_

_I could see my future change_

_And my heart hit like a hammer_

_And my thoughts were running wild_

_Any fool can make a baby_

_But it takes a man, to raise a child._

_Oh I could not reassure her_

_I couldn't say what I had planned_

_Couldn't put three words together_

_So I just, took her hand._

Kit had begun to nod slowly with a sad smile as though he was remembering the scene n his head when Tia's mother had told him she was pregnant. Sam wondered how the whole thing had come about. He hadn't said the Tia's mother was his wife, but her had obviously loved her and stayed to raise his daughter. Sam was a little surprised when all three Ely brothers that were playing with her joined in and she wondered if they were singing along because they agreed with the lyrics.

_In My daddy's el Camino_

_In her driveway in the rain_

_Staring through that windshield _

_I could see my future change_

_And my heart hit like a hammer_

_And my thoughts were running wild_

_Any fool can make a baby_

_But it takes a man. To raise a child._

When Sam's eyes scanned the crowd this time, she could see Maxine Ely holding Tia in her arms in a hug with tears running down her face. Luke Ely had his hand curled in a white knuckled grip around Kit's right shoulder. Everyone in attendance here tonight had been shocked when they learned Kit had a daughter. Sam suspected that many couldn't quite believe Kit had stuck around long enough with a girl to know he had a daughter at all.

This time no one clapped for the song, they were all too shocked. Instead Sam held Jake's gaze for a minute. His brown eyes searched her blue ones and Sam smiled. The next song she had in mind was one squarely aimed at Jake. Strumming her fingers over the strings Sam started into the next song.

_The Bluest skies don't seem so blue_

_And the stars seem to be a little dimmer, too_

_Now that you're around, you put 'em all to shame._

_Let me break it down 'cause what I'm tryin' to say is_

_No one gets me like_

_You when you kiss me_

_Babe, you rock me harder than some downtown band_

_Thought I knew what love was, but I didn't have a clue_

_I've never found anything that makes me feel like I do about you._

_Got a whole new direction, it seems these days_

_I used to rush off to work and get home late_

_But, now I show up late and rush back home_

_My priorities are different_

_I can't leave you alone._

_No one get me like_

_You when you kiss me_

_Babe, you rick me harder than some downtown band_

_I thought I knew what love was, but I didn't have a clue_

_I've never found anything that makes me feel like I do about you._

_Boy, if you ever get to guessin' if I'm thinkin' 'bout you_

_Just remember_

_No One gets me like_

_You when you kiss me_

_Babe, you rock harder that some downtown band_

_I thought I knew what love was but I didn't have a clue_

_I've never found anything that makes me feel like I do about you._


	14. Wisdom

**A/N: Cherubs! I fianlly got around to writing another chapter on this story. I'm so grateful for all of your lovely reviews. =) I've been busy with Uni as well as I also author 'Take the Tumble'. A harry potter Fanfic. If you love my writing you should check that story out as there are almost 40 chapters of it so far. I hope everyone had a safe and happy Easter break. Much love my cheubs. Pleaser review, i hope you love the new chapter. xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 14: Wisdom?

Jake Ely watched in something akin to awe as the girl he'd known all his life sang her heart out on the makeshift hay-bale stage set up in his ranch yard. The Sam Jake knew had been so terrified of speaking in public that she almost made herself just thinking about it. Unless she was fighting with him or protecting her beloved mustang, then she could get up in front of a hundred thousand people if she had too. In fact the Samantha Anne Forster that Jake knew would never in a hundred years have been able to get up in front of any sort of crowd and sing like she was now. Yet there she was. And damn if she didn't sing like an angel.

Jake knew that Sam had always had a little habit of singing to herself and to her horses, but he'd never have thought she'd have the stomach to get up for a crowd and sing like she was now. But there she was, up on a hay bale singing as though she had never for a day in her life done anything else. It was really no surprise that he hadn't been able to stop staring either.

Not with her up there looking like that and singing like a nightingale. The dress she wore hugged every curve that had developed since he'd seen her two summers ago. The girl he'd left behind has always been pretty, even when she'd hacked off all her hair, but the woman that she'd grown into made his heart race. He had no idea how she managed to even stand in those shoes she had on, and though they made her legs look amazing he had to admit he preferred seeing her in her worn out old boots.

Jake smiled as same finished her third song, she'd looked at him with a small smile on her lips as she sang every line and Jake couldn't help wondering if she meant every word she sang to be aimed at him or if she was just enjoying watch him flounder in his shock. Around him he heard the people he shared his life with clap for the performance, though he noticed out the corner of his eye that Wyatt was still watching him and chuckling a little bit. His boss had found it particularly amusing that he had been unable to re-hinge his jaw in his own.

Next Sam started strumming alone on her guitar as violin music played from the stereo and Jake watched as Cody Forster began to dance around excitedly where he stood in front of her. When she began t sing Jake understood why.

_Dragon tails, and the water is white_

_Pirates sail and lost boys fly_

_Fish bite moon beams every night_

_And I love you._

_God speed little man._

_Sweet dreams little man_

_Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings_

_Godspeed. Sweet dreams._

Cody began to sway in front of Sam as she crooned the words down to him, and Adam had taken up playing the melody on his guitar because Sam had pulled the microphone free of the stand and stepped down to stand in front of her brother. And Jake knew then that this was the lullaby the boy had begged of her. The one she must sing to him each night a ritual she had interrupted for him.

_Rocket racer's all tuckered out_

_Superman's in pajamas on couch_

_Goodnight moon, we'll find the mouse_

_And I love you._

_Godspeed little man. Sweet dreams little man._

_Oh my love will fly to you each night on angel's wings._

_Godspeed. Sweet Dreams._

Jake glanced sideways at Wyatt Forster who was watching his children with warmth in his gaze. Wyatt seemed to have changed too since the last time Jake had seen him. Instead of tugging his hat down to hide his pleased smile at the sight of his son twirling beneath Sam's arm as he held her hand and she swayed to the tune she sang.

_God bless Mommy and Matchbox cars_

_God bless Dad and thanks for the stars_

_God hears Amen wherever we are_

_And I love you._

_Godspeed little man. Sweet dreams little man._

_Oh my love will fly to you each night on angel's wings._

_Godspeed. Godspeed. Godspeed._

_Sweet Dreams._

Cody Forster wrapped his arms around the waist of his big sister and Jake wondered at the strange feeling in his chest as he watched Sam bend down and lift the child into her arms with ease. It was obvious that she loved the little boy with all of her heart. She got the same smile she wore when she watched that Stallion of hers. The one that was seven parts love and three parts wonder, as though she barely dared believe this was her life.

Jake jerked slightly when he heard someone else begin, realizing that he hadn't noticed the new song that had begun playing because he'd been too busy staring at Sam. Jake stared as he realized it was Quinn singing.

_Granddaddy always said, when he was seventeen_

_He met the girl, the one in all his dreams_

_And man that was it._

_He never once looked back, he'd found something, he just knew was gonna last._

_And if you ask him 'bout that day_

_He'll just tap his chest and say._

'_That's how you know'_

_When it grabs a hold of you and won't let go_

_And it feels like she's always been in your soul_

_And as time goes by she's still surprisin' you._

_That's how you know it's true._

_When a new love feels old and an old loves feel new._

Jake watched silently as Sam began to dance with her kid brother to the words while his Mom tugged his Dad onto what he assumed was the makeshift dance floor. She was smiling up at her husband as he pretend to protest but even from here he could see that his father was every bit as willing to dance with her. All around him folks started moving towards the place where people were dancing; even Wyatt moved off and took his pregnant wife's surprised hand.

Jake glanced sideways when he felt someone shift over to stand next to him. Next to him stood Jen Kenworthy, her blonde hair hung in its usual plats and she was wearing another bright color. Somehow the girl always managed to hurt his eyes with all of her colors. She was nearly as bad as Callie, only she only wore bright clothing, rather than offensively bright hair. Jake glanced away again before she had the chance to look him in the eye. He felt a little bit guilty and a lot uncomfortable about eavesdropping on her emotional breakdown this morning.

"You look a little shocked there Ely." Jen said to him. She didn't speak loud enough to draw any attention to him and Jake wondered why she had moved over near him at all. They still didn't get along, and as far as he knew she was still irritated at him for being on River Bend this morning while she was there. Jake didn't say anything, but fought to hide his smirk when she sighed in irritation.

"You know" she began, and Jake wondered what had possessed her. Normally she avoided him. "I didn't really think about it before, I guess you could say I didn't even notice, but Sam mentioned something to me this morning that made me realize something." Jen said. Jake stayed still in silent nonchalance waiting for her to continue, it was a trick he learned young and one that usually guaranteed that people would tell him things far easier than if he questioned them for information. And she had picked a topic that had definitely piqued his interest.

Samantha Forster.

"I saw your jaw drop when she started singing up there. Made me remember that the old Sam would have been way too nervous to do something like that. That information, coupled with something she said to me this morning got me to thinkin'." Jen said, she somehow sounded as though she was analyzing the whole thing with her scientific brain, yet still sounded full of wonder.

"I realized that I hadn't really noticed just how much Sam had changed. It seemed gradual to me. Even logical in a way." Jen said conclusively and Jake tensed to keep himself from twitching in irritation. She was being purposefully evasive. Somehow Jake managed to bite his tongue on his curiosity until she sighed again and continued.

"You know, when you left four years ago I thought she was just a little down because she missed you. I didn't actually find out until almost three weeks later that you'd broken up with her and then left." Jake noted the accusing tone in her voice and wondered if it was aimed at Sam for not telling her, or at him for breaking up with Sam like a fool in the first place. "For those three weeks she was so quite it was almost like talking to you rather than to Samantha, and I thought she just wanted a little space because she missed seeing you around. Then Grace asked me one afternoon when I called to ask Sam to come riding with me, if Sam was handling the break up ok."

Jake remained silent as he reflected on the first three weeks he spent away from home and away from Sam. It had been horrible. Every mile he'd driven away from her had been a mile he cursed because he wanted nothing more than to turn his truck right back around until he had her wrapped in his arms again. He'd missed home and his horse, but not like he'd missed Sam.

"You really have no idea do you?" Jen asked as though she was appalled "I don't know if any of the Forsters told you about it, or maybe even if Sam told you about it, but she changed after you left. And you know what the really awful thing is Ely? The really terrible thing is that I remember thinking it was for the best. In school Sam had always been getting Bs and Cs for her grades, but she started getting A's in every subject. Even Algerbra. She started taking on more work at school, like she took over as editor of the school paper, took as many stories a she could. Our last two years at Darton High we had papers the thickest they'd ever been, And Sam got popular."

At this Jake felt his own eyebrows raise. Sam had always been liked well enough by her peers, but she rarely made much of an effort to maintain friendships outside of himself and Jen, and occasionally Ally. Jen snorted in bemusement.

"I remember feeling a little jealous at the time. It was like you left and Sam began to shine. She got involved in everything she could; she even joined the school basket ball team. Sam graduated with a letterman jacket to her name. In fact she almost got valedictorian over me. I'm fairly certain she told the principal that she didn't want it and refused to write a speech, meaning the old girl had to give it to me instead." Jen said, still sounding a little shocked and slightly put out about it.

"My mum said that Sam grew more and more like Louise every day. She opened her heart to anyone who needed her. I suppose she already kind of did that, but now she did it for anyone. I remember she even got to know Daisy, that awful faux friend of Rachel Slocum, and helped her get her life together because she had a broken home and had begun abusing drugs. It used to be just the animals that opened her up like that, but she does it for everyone now." Jen said before she murmured, "Ryan even joked once or twice that it was almost like Sam had become a saint in your absence."

"I guess I just took it at face value, but I didn't really realize until today that for all that she got quiet. I never really noticed how she shut down about herself. She'd just stop talking like you do." Jake watched Jen turn and look directly at him, he even turned his head a little in a way that meant he could see her but still kept his face in the shadow of his hat. "She'd clam right up for a minute or two and then she'd change the subject. And I didn't even work out until today that she was doing because she had this way of doing that somehow made you forget what you'd asked her about herself."

"Look at her Jake." Jen murmured as Sam stood her brother back on his feet, put down her guitar and then twirled in wide circles across the ranch yard until she stood in front of her Dad and Step mother. Brynna was sitting and looking uncomfortable in how pregnant she was, while Wyatt brushed back his wife's hair. Sam smiled at her parents and Jake watched from across the ranch yard as she laughed happily and offered her hand to Wyatt, bowing a little. From where he stood he could see the devious smile on her face and mischief in her eyes and realized she was asking him to get up in front of all these people and dance with her to the song Quinn was now singing. Jake was surprised when Wyatt took her hand and let her drag him back to the area that had been cleared for dancing in front of the makeshift stage.

"Wyatt always gets the first dance, if you don't count Cody." Jen murmured, watching them as they began to dance. Jake watched in amazement as Sam twirl and swayed with her father. More surprised to see that Wyatt could dance beyond a simple waltz or shuffle than to see Sam twirling around in her high heels.

After a time Jen began to speak again and Jake listened to but never took his eyes off Sam.

"You really hurt her Ely." Jen said bluntly "More than even I realized. Truthfully I think you hurt her even more than Ryan hurt me this morning. I've been thinking about it all day, it's so much easier to think back over Sam's life during the last four years than to think of my own right now and during the day I worked out several things. I'm sure you already knew about how reckless she got awhile back, but I worked out today that it wasn't just because she wanted to test her boundaries. Part of her was being that crazy, I'm almost certain of it, in the hopes that if something bad enough happened, or if you heard about how she was behaving you would leave college and come back.

I also worked out that she's slightly twisted part of her seemed to relish the pain. She didn't avoid talking about you or take down any pictures she had of the two of you. In fact she collected as many of them as she could." Jen said.

"I know." Jake interrupted her. Jen raised her eyebrows at him. Jake shrugged his shoulders in response. "Got here yesterday, been in her room." Jake watched in amusement as Jen's mind began to whirl behind her glasses. No doubt she was analyzing the significance of Jake having been in Sam's room. "Have you seen all of the pictures?" Jen asked him curiously, sounding doubtful.

"Have you?" He challenged her. Jen pursed her lips.

"I think so." She replied. She stood silent for a few moments after that as they both watched Sam laugh while she danced with her father. Jake noticed that she looked happy. "You know something. I worked it out. I worked out how she didn't burst into tears when people asked about you, this morning she told it hurt so bad that it was like being suckered punched, but not once in the past four years have I ever seen that girl cry Jake. I've seen her bite her lips so hard that it bled, and seen her throw a punch at the barn door on River Bend and even seen her launch herself of the back of a galloping horse to save a damned calf in a stampede, but not once did I see her shed a single tear." Jen said slowly.

"But I've worked it out now. All that pain she was in, and for all I know still is, she kept locked in. At first I thought maybe she just bottled it all up or just didn't care. But I was wrong. Have you worked it out yet?" Jen asked Jake. Jake dragged his eyes away from the beautiful girl he was staring at to meet Jen's glasses covered gaze. When he just stared at her in silence Jen smirked at him.

"Do you see him?" Jen asked softly nodding her head towards the hills behind the stone ranch house. Jake turned and his eyes searched the darkened hillside until they landed on the slight movement of a tail blowing in the breeze. A silvery white tail, Jake knew, though in the darkness the Stallion was almost invisible. How had Jen spotted the stallion in the gloom of the hillside whilst chattering away at him? Jake wondered if Sam knew the stallion was there because he had a distinct feeling that stallion had been drawn here by her singing and now stood watching and waiting. Did the stallion wait for her to take up the microphone again or was he here simply to check on the only human he trusted?

Before his very eyes, even as Jake peered at the stallion he seemed to disappear into the gloom. Jake glanced back at Jen when she started talking again. "I didn't really notice until I watched her today and put together the words that she said to me with how to deal with a break up. Tell me Jake, did you notice the thick braided rope of horse hair around her wrist?" Jake nodded; Sam had been wearing that horse hair bracelet since she was thirteen, though he had noticed that it had grown in thickness.

"Today Sam told me that the solution to dealing with this rubbish situation I am currently in is to under no circumstances, given in to my emotion and cry. At least not where anyone can see. That's what she said to me. Have you worked it out yet Jake? Have you worked out whose shoulder she cried into, no doubt every night?" Jen asked him. Even as Jen spoke Jake was searching the hillside again for a glimpse of the stallion.

"Maybe you also noticed that she has a thick rope of silver horse hair hanging around her neck?" Jen said, even as Jake's eyes fell to Sam's throat where the braided horse hair necklace rested against her skin. Jake felt his blood run cold at Jen's next words.

"How long do you suppose it took before Sam grew reckless enough to finger comb the tail of a wild stallion in a way that gained her enough hair to make that necklace?"


	15. Wish You Were Here

**A/N: Hey guys. I know it has been absolutely forever! I'm sooooo sorry it's taken so long but i have been very busy with Uni, as well as some bouts of being unsinspired. And to top it off a recent break up with my boyfriend of 2 years. But not to worry! I am back. Though i cannot guarntee any kind of constant updating on a regualar basis, the point is that I will be trying to get back to at leat one chapter per week, but don't hold it against me if i fail because as well as being busy with uni I now also have a part time job which is stealing even more of my writing time. But here it is, the new chapter. I hop you guys like it thogh it does not do justice to the amunt of time i have had off. Pretty please leave me nice review =) Much Love my sweet cherubs xx-Kitten**

Chapter 15: Wish You Were Here.

Sam had noticed Jen talking to Jake while she danced with Dad. It made her feel funny to see her two best friends standing together and talking, though even as she danced she could see that Jen seemed to be antagonizing Jake in some way. She could see it in the way his shoulders tightened slightly and in the way his scowl adorned his handsome face within the shadow of his Stetson.

Sam also couldn't help the sweet sense of satisfaction at knowing that her two best friends obviously still had trouble tolerating each other. There was also an odd feeling in her stomach at the realization that despite the time they had spent apart, she still subconsciously understood Jake's mood based purely n his body language. It could just be put down to the sensitivity she had always felt concerning animals and the cognitive process that allowed her to think like a horse, which extended to Jake through the fact that he used so few words to communicate.

"Sam, honey" Dad's voice intruded on her musings and drew her attention back to her father with whom she was supposed to be dancing. As her eyes met Dad's blue ones she smiled widely at him. Wyatt Forster smiled back at his daughter, his eyes beneath his hat letting on that he knew who she had been staring at. "How you doin' with Jake bein' home honey?" Dad asked her as she twirled to the end of their outstretched arms.

Sam nearly tripped over her own feet to hear Dad asking her about Jake. Dad was a cowboy, a man who said few words, even when he actually had something to say. A buckaroo that avoided conversations of emotion like the plague. What could possibly motivate Dad to ask about Jake? Even in the weeks after Jake left Dad had said little to Sam about his absence, excluding the occasional grumble of needing Jake at the ranch for certain jobs before Sam could drive.

"Er… today was good I guess. Got Jake up on Frost and had him test her through all the paces like we been doin'" Sam replied as she twirled back in.

Truthfully having Jake around at River bend today had been interesting and slightly confusing. In his absence Sam had grown accustomed to not looking for anyone's approval and to just doing what she felt was best for the horse. But today going with through her regular daily routine with Jake there as well had been a different story. Instead of just working with Frost by herself in the round corral and going about her regular chores with Cody tagging along, Cody had been busy with Dad and Jake had been the one tagging along behind her.

The communication between them had been easy and mostly unspoken, just like it had been in the months before Jake had left for college, before they had become a couple. More than once Jake had been shocked by something Sam would say or do or suggest and he seemed completely baffled by the fact that she was no longer a pest to him. When he had saddled Witch and put her through her paces Sam had admired the horse and rider pair and smiled inwardly at the eagerness of Witch to have her true master seated firmly in the saddle. But she hadn't felt the need to follow Jake around or ask him what he had in mind. Instead she had just gone about her day as she usually would if Jake wasn't there.

All day neither Sam nor Jake had mentioned what happened last night, though more than once Sam caught herself staring at him. Even as she thought about last night now, she could almost feel again the way it felt to have his lips pressed against hers, could almost see him standing there naked in the moonlight on the bank of La Charla watching her with those mustang eyes.

Sam started when she realized her gaze had strayed back to Jake where he stood next to the stone barn of the Three Ponies Ranch. Jen seemed to have given up on trying to get any sort of conversation out of him because she had wandered over to sit near Kit Ely who looked to be paying half of his attention to whatever Jen was saying to him while he watched his daughter dance around in some peculiar game with Cody.

From in front of her Sam heard Dad chuckle and she quickly refocused her eyes on her father. His eyes twinkled within the shadow of his hat as he smiled at his clearly distracted daughter, Sam blushed just a little bit. "You look real nice tonight honey, but I don't know how you can even stand, let alone dance in them shoes." Dad said clearly thinking that the shoes were far too impractical and city slickerish for a gathering held in the Ranch yard of a couple who had held Sam as a baby.

"They are starting to hurt my feet a little." Sam admitted sheepishly, wishing she had settled on sandals instead of heels.

Sam looked startled when the song ended and Quinn began singing the lyrics of a new song.

_His eyes are cold and restless,_

_His wounds are almost heeled_

_And she'd give half of Texas, just to change the way he feels._

_She knows his love's in toss up,_

_She knows he's gonna go_

_Well it ain't no woman, flesh and blood_

_It's that damned old rodeo._

_Well its bulls and blood_

_Its dust and mud, the roar of a Sunday crowd_

_The white in the knuckles, the gold in the buckle_

_He'll win the next go 'round_

_Well it's boots and chaps _

_It's cowboys hats_

_It's spurs and latigo_

_It's the ropes and the rein_

_The joy and the pain_

_And they call the thing a rodeo._

Sam couldn't help thinking of Kit as Quinn sang the tune. It was an old favorite of his, though Sam personally had never enjoyed the rodeo scene. Even as Dad let go of her hand, after pressing a kiss to the back of it and made his way back to his uncomfortable looking wife.

Sam looked around for her next victim. She just loved when the boys got up and played and sang, sometimes she even preferred it when they did so without her because she liked to drag the unsuspecting and awkward cowboys in her life out to dance with her. Gram had even told her after the last time she had done so that Dallas had mentioned he thought dancing with Sam might have done his arthritis some good. Gram went on to say that it was probably good for him to contort his stiff body into movements that didn't mould to the saddle of a horse.

And Sam would rope him into having a dance later, though not this one, this one was a little too fast for him. He preferred dancing to the slower ones. Sam scanned around the crowd of people she knew and loved. And she did love every one of them. The song was almost finished now though so she would have to pick someone quickly to dance with her to the next one.

For just a moment she toyed with the idea of dragging Jake out here, but it would probably be just a little bit too obvious if she dragged him out here second. Instead Sam's eyes settled on a wild eyed cowboy that happened to be fidgeting with what looked like boredom where he stood between Ross and Dallas. Sam let the lazy tom cat smiled she had learned so well spread across her face as she sauntered across the Ely's ranch yard in her high heels towards Pepper. The red headed cowboy saw her coming too because as she got closer he stood a little straighter instead of leaning against the fence post as he had been.

He started to grin too, even as he blushed and scuffed his boot in the dirt.

"What ya doin' there Pepper?" Sam drawled at him. Pepper grinned wider at the familiar words. Sam had started out the conversation with him just the same way when she had asked him to come to her Prom as her date. Sam could see him itching to toss back the same sentence he had the first time she had asked him, which had been that he was tinkering with the engine of Gram's old Buick. But obviously that would make no sense now.

"Wondering how you can walk in them death traps you got strapped to your feet when most days I see you stumble in your boots!" Pepper drawled right back at her. In the years since Sam had been an annoying fifteen year old, an easy friendship had developed between herself and Pepper. Mostly based on the fact that they worked together on the tasks Dallas set for ranch work, though Sam asking him to her Prom had been the icing on the cake that turned their colleagueship into actual easy friendship.

"You know I can dance in 'em too. Don't suppose you want to bust out some of them moves I know you got stored away for special occasions?" Sam couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her as he blushed as red as his hair, just like he had the day she asked him to her prom. Even Ross gave a chuckle at how awkward and uncomfortable Pepper was. Which was a little bit funny 'cause Sam was gonna drag the shy cowboy out to dance with her before the night was over. Ross always protested, but eventually he would give in and dance with her, though when Sam tried to make conversation with him while dancing he could only stutter at her most of the time.

"Get on out there." Dallas said, winking at Sam as he gave the blushing young cowboy a shove towards her. Sam grinned when Pepper chuckled at himself before he took her hand and let her lead him to the open area that had clearly been designated as the dance floor just as Quinn and the boys flowed into the next song.

Jake watched from his place next to the barn as Sam sauntered over to Pepper and convinced him to dance with her with a strange feeling in his stomach. A strange feeling he remembered feeling when he thought Sam had been developing a crush on Kit years ago. Jealousy. It was all together unfounded, after all there was clearly nothing between the red haired cowboy and the beautiful cowgirl that went beyond friendship. At least not on Sam's side, after all, if there were it was unlikely that she would have kissed Jake with such passion last night. Though Jake would not be at all surprised if Pepper had a thing for Sam, after all she had grown into an amazing young woman.

Watching her today with Frost, the blue roan mare she had rescued from the auction yards, Jake knew Sam was now just as good or possibly better at training up rough horses than he was. And she wasn't as hasty and quick tempered as she had been when he left. Somehow they had managed to get through the day without an argument, though that seemed mostly to be based on the fact that Sam no longer looked to him for approval or anything else really.

"Really somethin' isn't she?" a deep voice said from the darkness of the barn. Jake didn't let his surprise show when his grandfather shuffled to the open barn door. Mac Ely met the gaze of his youngest grandson when Jake peered at him from beneath his hat brim. "Not much like the pest you used to know anymore." Mac said, a smile threatening at the corners of his mouth.

"Naw" Jake replied, turning back to look at Sam as she danced around with Pepper. She smiled and laughed as she did so and Jake couldn't help the jealous feeling that scalded through his veins. "She don't need me anymore." He added when his grandfather remained silent.

Mac Ely gave a light chuckle at Jake's words.

"Samantha could get by in life just fine if we all fell off the planet tomorrow Jacob. But she still needs you." Mac said. His lively eyes danced when Jake turned his head to meet his gaze. "Do you remember what I told you when you struck out at her in anger when you were undertaking your initiation Jacob?" Jake nodded.

"She thinks with her heart." Jake murmured when Mac stayed silent.

Jake stood in the silence that followed his words as his grandfather's eyes searched his face in the shadow of his hat.

"She may have learned to live without your help and approval these last four years Jake" Mac said softly "But there was rarely a day while you were gone when Samantha didn't wish you were here."


	16. Indian Cowboy

**A/N: I LOST EVERYTHING!**

**Dearest Cherubs, Sadly this was not the chapter i originally intended for you. However my computer crashed just 2 days after my car got broken into and the data on the hard drive couldn't be retrieved. So a warning to all who use laptops... Mine died because of a mild bump or two. Nothing as intense as dropping it, however the IT guy told me that even setting it down on a hard surface without taking special precautions, in other words without being really gentle, can damage it and cause it to die =(**

**Meaning that i lost the chapter i had ready to update for this, as well as the huge chapter i had ready to update Take the Tumble. I also lost a bunch of the recent work I had done on my own creative writing works. =(**

**I had most of it backed up though which is good. Also i submitted a first chapter from one of my tales to a publishing company the other day... I will keep y'all posted on the results =) **

**Enjoy the chapter. Please review. Much love xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 16: Indian Cowboy.

As the night wore on Sam and the Ely boys that played instruments all took breaks from playing sporadically so they could socialise or just rest for a few songs. Sam coaxed everyone into dancing with her except Quinn, because they always took turns singing, and as of yet Sam hadn't asked Jake to dance with her.

Jake seemed to be in an odd mood this evening, Sam was finding it hard to get a reading on him, but then she had only talked to him in passing. Most of the evening she had been acutely aware of Jake as he interacted with each person. She had noticed the way he seemed agitated after talking to Jen, and the way his face had darkened when she danced with Pepper, however she had also noticed the way he seemed to perk up and smile some more after Mac had spoken to him. She was dying of curiosity to know what it was that Mac had said to him that caused that reaction from Jake but there was no way she was going to ask Jake about it. She wasn't the pest that she had been before he left.

Sam was actually enjoying the party. She loved seeing all of her neighbours and friends in one place all having a good time and she had spoken to many of them about the various events that had taken place in their lives since she last talked to them. Now she stood near the food table deliberating her next move. She could hear a slight waver in Quinn's voice as he sang, which suggested that he probably needed a break to grab a drink but Sam really wanted to talk to Jake again, and get him to dance with her.

It was completely ridiculous that she felt nervous about asking him but she just couldn't shake the feeling of butterflies in her tummy as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was standing over next to Darrell and they looked to be chatting animatedly. Or at least Darrell did, mostly Jake seemed to nod and smile and laugh at whatever Darrell was telling him.

Ally, Jen and Callie had banded together and were sitting together talking and laughing. Sam was glad to see that Jen was smiling and felt proud of her best friend for it. She knew just how hard Jen was probably working to keep that smile on her face. After all, when Sam and Jake had broken up they had only been dating a few months, Jen had been in a relationship with Ryan for five years!

Sam had no idea how she was managing it but she was proud of her anyway.

"What are you doing Sammy?" Cody asked her.

Sam smiled down at her little brother. He was a wonderful little boy, he had probably been off playing somewhere and noticed her standing by herself and come over to make sure everything was ok.

"Not all that Much Codester. Are you having fun tonight?" Sam replied.

Cody nodded his head vigorously. "Tia is fun to play with."

"That's good buddy. I hope you're being extra nice to her though Codester, Her mummy died a few months ago and she is very sad." Sam told him. She had explained to Cody a few times what dying was, the first being after one of the Rhode Island Reds had died a few weeks ago.

"Like the hen?" He asked her softly.

"Yes. Like the hen. She is gone away now to heaven. And Tia doesn't get to visit her Mama in heaven. She needs a good friend who will look after her and cheer her up and make sure she is happy and doesn't let her get hurt or get into trouble. Will you be her friend buddy?" Sam asked him softly. She was fairly positive that Kit would be staying out here now that he was home and it would be for the best if Cody and Tia developed the same type of childhood friendship that Sam had shared with Jake. It was nice to have someone looking out for you.

Sam had regularly missed having Jake looking out for her over the last four years while he had been off getting a college education that he probably wouldn't use. Sam completely understood why Jake had gone off to college, and she in no way held that decision against him. Sam supposed that he would see about getting a job with the law enforcement in town, after all that was what he had studied at college and he had always wanted to be part of the law enforcement team as a tracker. Maybe he would get a job with Sheriff Ballard in town and spend the rest of his time on the ranch, either here at the Three Ponies or over at River Bend.

But college for her hadn't really helped all that much.

The fast tracked course she'd done I San Francisco for Journalism had been useful and allowed her to write the occasional story for the Darton newspaper, and she was doing a course through the community college in town but Sam couldn't help feeling at times like it was a waste of time. Because she was never going to be a full blown journalist, nor was she likely to go into any other field than training horse or raising horse or breeding horses or something else that meant she was close to home while her brothers grew up and she could spend time everyday with Ace and Tempest.

Not to mention that Sam would never leave this range while the Phantom lived. No way in the world would she leave the range where her best horse friend ran free and wild and majestic.

"I'll be the best friend she could ever have Sammy. But you'll always be my best friend." Cody's small voice snapped Sam out of her musings and she could help the sweet of love and affection for the small boy at his words. She just loved him to pieces. Bending down Sam gave him a tight hug.

"You'll always be my best boy Codester. I love you kiddo." Sam said in the boy's ear. "Now you run along and see what Tia is up to hey?"

"I love you too Sammy." Cody told her with an adorable smile before he ran off to find his new friend.

Sam stood up straight again and took a deep breath. Somehow her kid brother knew just how to cheer her up and calm her down.

Pulling out the lazy tom cat smile that she had learned from Jake so well, Sam sauntered towards Jake and Darrell where they stood talking to each other.

"You know Ely, it's real rude of you to be avoiding me like this. Everyone else on this ranch has had a dance with me tonight except for you. Now I know you haven't been 'round these parts much this last few years but you best be rememberin' your manners when a lady asks you to dance." Sam drawled at the boy who had been her best friend all through childhood, turned boyfriend, turned awkward friend again.

Jake's mustang eyes laughed at Sam from beneath the brim of his hat. Darrell was grinning wickedly at Sam's audacity. Sam ignored Darrell, who had suspected for years that she still had a thing for Jake.

"Brat, I think we both know that you are very far from bein' a lady." Jake drawled right back at her. Sam narrowed her eyes at his wicked smirk. No doubt he was thinking of last night when she was skinny dipping in the river and making out with him.

"Cowboy I'm more lady than you could ever handle." She drawled right back, that lazy tomcat smile taunting Jake. "Now are you gonna dance with me or not?" Sam demanded.

Jake just gave her that tomcat smile right back and didn't say a word.

Sam took that as all the permission she needed and grabbed his arm to tow him out to the middle of the ranch yard where everyone could see them. After all if she had to be feeling nervous about this then she sure as sugar wasn't gonna let Jake feel comfortable.

Sam couldn't help narrowing her eyes on Quinn, Adam and Nate as they changed songs so that Sam and Jake could dance. It was a slow one by Carrie Underwood called Someday When I Stop Loving You.

_One foot on the bus about half past nine_

_I knew that you were leaving this time_

_I though about laying down in it's path, thinkin' that you might get off for that._

_I remember that night we laid in bed, namin' all our kids that we hadn't had yet._

_One for your grandma and one for mine, said we'd draw straws when it came time._

Sam couldn't help smiling at the feel of Jake's warm hand on her waist and the scent of him in her nose while he revolved her in slow circles to the music. Sam was dying to lay her head on his chest as she had done the last time she danced with him, but they were just friends now, even if they had made out several times last night and she had woken up with her head on his shoulder and his arms curled around her this morning.

_I'll move on baby just like you,_

_When the desert floods and the grass turns blue._

_When a sailing ship don't need her moon_

_It'll break my heart but I'll get through_

_Someday when I stop loving you._

_I bet all I had on a thing called love, I guess in the end it wasn't enough._

_And it's hard to watch you leave right now, I'm gonna have to learn to let you go somehow._

_Somehow._

Jake couldn't keep the smile off his face as he danced with Sam. He would have to do something nice for Quinn tomorrow to show his appreciation to his brother for picking to sing a slow song for his dance with Sam. Though the words hit on a nerve. It felt good to have Sam in his arms again. He hadn't been able to get hold of her since this morning. He hadn't even had a chance to strangle her for all the dangerous things she had done in his absence.

_I'll move on baby just like you_

_When the desert flood and the grass turns blue._

_When a sailing ship don't need her moon. It'll break my heart but I'll get through._

_Someday when I stop loving you._

_Oh someday, oh someday._

_I'll move on baby just like you._

_When the desert floods and the grass turns blue._

_When a sailing ship don't need her moon. It'll break my heart but I'll get through._

_Someday when I stop loving you._

Sam was in heaven. She had to be. Because only in her day dreams did she get to dance with Jake and have him hold her hand and have the smell of him in her nose. Only in dream was Jake here and looking at her like he used to when they were together. Sam could even feel the stupidly happy grin on her face, no matter how she cussed herself for being so damned happy about this in spite of the fact that she was practically certain that in spite of his words he obviously hadn't loved her or he wouldn't have broken up with her when he left.

Same didn't want to open her eyes or let go of Jake, but the song had ended and Quinn's voice was beginning to strain a little. She needed to give him a break. But even as she did Jake held onto her and Quinn began another slow song.

_Might be her smile, 'cause it can change my day._

_Blue eyes that chase me blues away_

_Might be her touch that keeps me coming back for more._

_Them loving words that keep me going strong. That hear of hers I hang my future on._

_What it is, I can't say for sure,_

_It's just she's got this thing about her,_

_She's got this thing about her,_

_Like the magic in your favourite song, you just can't put your finger on_

_In her arms when we're all alone, I get the feeling that I've come back home._

_She's got this thing about her._

_She stops time when she moves through a room. _

_When she leaves she's always gone too soon and I'm counting down the minutes til she's back._

_She the love I've known eternally, that always feels brand new to me. _

_I can't separate fiction from the fact._

_It's just she's got this thing about her_

_She's got this thing about her._

_Like the hymn in a cathedral hall, like watching April snowflakes fall._

_In her arms when we're all alone, I get the feeling that I've come back home._

_She's got this thing about her._

As the song ended Sam smiled up at Jake. She could see it in his mustang eyes that he was happy to be home. It made her smile even more. She'd missed him so much.

"And here I thought you had two left feet Cowboy."

Jake grinned at Sam wickedly.

"Brat, I think you and I need to have a long discussion tomorrow. Come riding with me tomorrow morning?" Jake asked her. He was half expecting her to say no. After all she probably had plans.

"You know Ely, I have never been comfortable with that tone. Every time you use that serious tone you're either threatening me in some way, yelling at me about something, or lecturing me on how stupid I am." Sam said mildly, her guard was up as soon as that tone came out of Jake's mouth.

"Good. That's what I had in mind." Jake practically snarled at her before he flicked the horse hair necklace hanging around her neck. Sam smiled wickedly.

"So tell me Cowboy," Sam began sounding amused and sarcastic "What exactly would be the appeal in that ride for me, when you're just gonna yell at me for things you don't understand and don't actually give a damn about, seeing as you weren't here to change them." Sam asked, she could feel the acid creeping into her voice as she spoke to him.

"What are you trying to say Samantha?" Jake demanded.

"I'm saying that it ain't any of your business. And guess what Ely, that was the choice you made!" Sam snarled at him.

Jake clenched his jaw tight and his eyes were wild before he knocked his hat forward and stalked away from her without another word. Sam knew it wasn't fair to throw their break up in Jake's face. But it had been his decision to break up with her, and as a result it was his fault that she had spent so much time crying into the Phantom's strong neck.

Spinning on her heels Sam made her way towards the stage and took the hand up Quinn offered her. She knew that a few people were beginning to head for home, after all they had been here for hours and most would be up at daybreak tomorrow morning.

"I'm gonna do one more song and I'd say that after that everyone will be looking to call it a night." Sam told Quinn, Adam and Nate. They all grinned at her. It had been a long time since anyone had seen Sam and Jake have fight and it felt like it almost made the night. Now Jake was really home. Not one of them said a word to her about the fight with her brother, instead Quinn handed her the microphone and stepped off the hay bale stage to get himself a drink while the other Ely boys got ready to play the song Sam had in mind.

Sam took a deep breath in as the boys started to play, trying to calm herself.

_Me and Charlie boy used to go walkin' _

_Sittin' in the woods behind my house _

_Where being lovers meant a stolen kiss and holding hands with nobody else around._

_Charlie said he wanted to get married, but we were only ten so we'd have to wait._

_Swore we'd never let our love run dry like so many do these days._

_So we treat our love like a firefly, like it only gets to shine for a little while._

_Catch it in a mason jar with holes in the top and run like hell to show it off._

_Oh promises we made when we'd go walkin' that's just me and Charlie talkin'._

_Charlie always said he'd like to leave here, turned eighteen and left our sleepy town._

_Letters came and went and I kept waiting for Charlie to come back and bring the life he'd found._

_It's funny how time and distance change you, and the road you take don't always lead you home._

_You can start a love with good intentions and you look up and it's gone._

Sam was just about to break into the chorus for a second time when she heard an awful shriek.

"WYATT!" Brynna's voice was high pitched and panicked and Sam's eyes landed on her in an instant. Then she was running. Dropping the microphone on the hay and kicking out of her high heels Sam leapt off the bales and sprinted towards her step-mother. Brynna had the sense to be sitting down and Sam could see Dad running flat out to get to his could only be one reason for Brynna to cry out like that. And that reason was one that filled Sam with complete dread.

The baby was coming.

Now!


	17. Coming Clean

**A/N: Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long. Finally a new chapter. And a nice long one fore you all =) I hope all of you are still loving the story and thanks to everyone for reviewing. Also, to any of my readers affected by the Hurricane in America, i send you my love and prayers that the damage isn't permanent and offer you solace in my stories. Much love to all of you. xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 17: Coming Clean

"Oh shoot!" Sam said as she skidded to a stop in front of Brynna and collided with Dad as he did the same thing. They both reached out and caught each other before either one could fall over, but it was an instinctual thing, because all their attention was focused on Brynna.

Her face was red and she was breathing hard and clutching her stomach in pain.

"B. What is it?" Dad voice was low and urgent with worry but Sam could see him trying to rope in his own panic. There was nothing worse than Dad's emotions on display around Brynna while she was pregnant, Brynna tended to absorb his mood and the last thing they needed now was for Brynna to panic anymore than she already was.

"My water broke!" Brynna gasped. Sam had to bite her lip on a groan. What was it with this woman and going into labour in the middle of nowhere?

Not that the Three Ponies or home was the middle of nowhere. But there was no way they would be able to get Brynna to the hospital if her water had already broken. Suddenly Gram and Maxine Ely and Helen Coley and Mrs. Allen were all there, jostling Sam off to the side out of the way so they could help Brynna to her feet.

"Brynna we're gonna take you into the house where you'll be more comfortable ok?" Maxine Ely's voice was stern and yet kind and supportive as she leapt into action. She may be a school teacher rather than a nurse, but after having six children of her own and helping Brynna deliver Cody, Maxine was probably the closest thing to a midwife that Brynna was likely to get. Of course there was Dr. Scott.

But Sam had a feeling that neither Dad nor Brynna would be appreciative of a vet stepping in to help with the delivery, especially a male vet.

As they got Brynna to her feet she began to whimper as a contraction ripped into her. Sam watched in terror as the women and her father waited for the contraction to pass before they hurried her across the ranch yard and into the stone ranch house of the Three Ponies. What was it with her step mother and going in to labour when she was nowhere near a hospital?

People were milling around the ranch yard worriedly as something collided with Sam.

"Sammy what happening? Why is Momma hurt?" Cody asked her urgently in his cute little voice. His hands clenching the fabric of her dress. She could feel him shaking as he clung to her legs and Sam tore her gaze from the house to look into her brother's upturned face. Their dad's blue eyes looked back at her and Sam felt her heart squeeze.

Sliding her hands beneath his armpits, Sam pulled Cody up her body and perched him on her hip.

"Don't worry buddy, everything's ok. Momma's having the baby. She'll be ok in a little while. And then you and me will have a new baby brother or sister. That's pretty exciting huh?" Sam said to him soothingly even as she reined in her own panic to calm the little boy who meant the world to her.

"Really? But why was she yelling?" Cody asked her. "She sounded hurt Sammy."

"Oh buddy it'll be ok. See, when the baby is ready to come out her tummy, he moves around so that he's facing the right way for when he'll be born." Sam told him.

"You mean the way he has been moving sometimes in her tummy when she lets us touch him?" Cody asked her, frowning adorably as he tried to make sense of what was going on.

"Sort of buddy. But before when he was moving, he was just uncomfortable 'cause he kept growing bigger and started to run out of room in Momma's tummy. Now there's no more room and he's had enough of staying inside. So, because he wants to come out, he lets Momma know by moving around a whole lot. And he's moving so much that it's hurting Momma."

"But why does he have to hurt Momma just because he wants to come out?" Cody asked her.

She heard a few people chuckle and glanced around the yard to realise that everyone from the party that hadn't left earlier was hanging around to wait for the birth of the newest Forster. And they were waiting and silently listening as Sam tried to explain the process of birth to a four year old boy.

"Well, he can't talk yet Codester. And since he can't talk, and Momma can't see him trying to show her what he wants, he's helping her by telling her that he wants to come out because he's hurting and uncomfortable, so he's making Momma feel that way too so that she knows how he's feeling. He's ready to be born because he has no more room in Momma's tummy and if we want him to keep growing he'll have to live outside Momma's tummy from now on." Sam explained to the small boy.

"Oh. Did I do that too?" he asked adorably. From somewhere in the crowd Sam heard Callie go 'AWWW".

"You sure did buddy. Except when you did it there was snow everywhere and me and Momma were home alone. Dad and Gram were away. I had to call Mrs. Ely and Jake to help me and to help Momma while you came out to meet all of us." Sam told him, smiling gently.

"Oh but Sammy I didn't mean to hurt Momma." He said looking worried.

"Oh buddy." Sam chuckled "Don't worry, Momma knows you didn't want to hurt her. She was just happy to see you."

Sam cringed when she heard Brynna cry out from inside the house, causing the gathered people to flinch.

"So what happens now?" Cody asked her.

"Well buddy, Momma's will give birth and then you and me will have a baby brother or a baby sister." Sam told him.

"Yeah but how does that work? How will he get out of Momma's tummy?" Cody asked her. Sam had to fight the urge to cross her eyes in frustration.

"Well..." Sam groped for words to explain to the small boy how birth worked. "Do you remember a few weeks ago when we went to see Katie at her fancy horse place?" Sam asked the little boy, an idea striking her.

Cody nodded.

"Do you remember that while we were there Miss Katie told us that one of her mares was having a foal?"

Cody nodded again.

"Do you remember that a few days later she came out to visit us at home and we watched that movie where the horse had her foal?"

Cody nodded once again, looking very confused now.

"Well, the same way that the mare had her foal, Momma's gonna have the baby." Sam told him.

Cody frowned deeply for a minute before he said "Does that mean that the baby will come out all wet and sticky lookin'?"

Everyone laughed.

"Yeah buddy, it does. But don't worry, Momma will wash him off before we get to hold him ok?"

"With her tongue like the mare did?" Cody asked innocently.

"Oh no buddy, Momma will wash him in the bath like we wash you before bed." Sam explained to him.

"Oh. I hate having baths Sammy." Cody told her making everyone around them chuckle some more.

"Yeah buddy I know. But you like goin' swimming huh?"

"I love going swimming with you Sammy. Can we swim tomorrow?" He asked her.

"Sure buddy. Momma will need peace and quiet tomorrow because having the baby will make her tired. So we'll go swimming to make sure we don't wake her up hey?"

"Can Tia come too, Sammy?" Cody asked her.

"Well buddy I think you might have to ask her Daddy about that. Do you want to ask Kit if maybe Tia can come swimming with us tomorrow?" Sam said to him. Cody had become familiar with asking her things and still needing to ask Dad or Gram or Mom if it was ok. "You better ask him nicely too buddy, Kit's a big ol' meanie about manners."

Cody looked at her for a minute then he nodded and Sam stood him back on his feet. Sam watched adoringly as the little boy straightened his hat on his head before striding confidently over to Kit. Sam was surprised that she knew which on he was when he had only met him tonight. Then again the black eye did sort of give him away.

"Kit?" Cody said in a strong voice. He tilted his head back to stare all the way up at Kit, who stood at six foot four. Cody's small hand rubbed the back of his neck, but he looked up at Kit. "Would it be alright if Tia comes swimming with me and Sammy at my house tomorrow?"

Sam jumped a little when she heard Quinn's voice next to her.

"Kid's got some stones. I don't think I'd have the courage to ask the Dad of the woman I like if she could come on a date with me." He said softly.

Sam chuckled. "Well yeah." She murmured to him "But that's because you have an irrational fear of Jed Kenworthy." She whispered to him.

Quinn gaped at her.

"What?" he said in an odd voice.

"Oh come on Quinn, I saw you're face light up when I told you that Slocum had left and broken up with Jen. You've got a crush on her."

Quinn just gave her a hard stare. He didn't deny it though.

"See now if you get that look in your eye when you ask Jed if you can take Jen on a date, you'll do just fine. Though unlike Cody, you probably have less than honourable intentions so you better ask real nice. Give it a while too. She only broke up with him today." Sam told him softly before turning her attention back to her brother and Kit.

"Well now, Are you gonna make sure my baby don't get hurt?" Kit asked Cody seriously. Sam looked over and saw that Kit was grinning, even though he spoke to the boy seriously.

"Yes sir." Cody said. He'd stopped rubbing the back of his neck as now had his thumbs hooked into his jeans pockets.

Kit chuckled. He looked surprised that the kid had the courage to ask at all, and that he didn't look worried that Kit might say no.

"What about you Baby, do you want to go over to River Bend and go swimming tomorrow with Cody?" Kit asked his daughter. Tia was holding his hand and looking up at him hopefully.

She nodded vigorously.

"Well now, I suppose that will be alight." Kit said to Cody. Cody smiled, but other than that he showed no sign of triumph or victory. Sam was impressed, and she could tell from the look on Kit's face that he was too. It made Sam laugh. It was more than likely that if Kit stuck around, Cody and Tia would end up in love with each other someday. And if he kept up the courage and modesty that he showed at four, there would be no problems from Kit about having Cody date his daughter.

Sam cringed again when she heard Brynna scream. The prolonged scream had Sam convinced that Brynna had just given birth to her newest sibling. Cody's eyes met Sam's as Sam hesitantly began to walk towards the house. Only realising as she did so that she was barefoot. She didn't care though. Cody trotted up next to her and took her hand, but Sam swung him up into her arms to cuddle him close. Her heart was racing as she wrapped her arms tightly around her brother and walked up the steps of the ranch house. Part of her was terrified that something had gone wrong.

And she just about had a heart attack when Dad burst out of the Ely house with an ear splitting cowboy yell. When he saw Sam and Cody on the Porch he beamed at them, before announcing loudly

"It's a Boy!"

People all over the ranch yard cheered happily while Wyatt Forster threw his arms around his eighteen year old daughter and four year old son and crushed them in a bear hug.

"It's a boy guys. You both have a new brother." He told them. Dad was practically bursting with pride and happiness. "Mom's fine and the baby's fine and everything's fine" he said as he pulled back to gaze at two of his three children.

"Do you want to meet him?" he asked them. Sam smiled at her father as he took Cody from her arms and held him. He didn't do it very often. Usually he felt that Cody shouldn't be babied so much since he was almost five and going to school in the fall. But tonight he held his first son close against his chest and wrapped his arm around Sam's shoulders as they went into the stone ranch house.

Gram and Mrs. Allen and Helen Coley and Maxine all stood around Brynna. Brynna was laid back on the couch in the Ely's living room and she cradled her new baby in her arms. Her face was still flushed and she looked tired and worn out. But she smiled widely when she saw the rest of her family join her.

"Oh you're here. Do you two want to meet your brother?" Brynna asked them. Sam nodded while Dad put Cody down.

"Well come closer, come on and meet Charles Forster." Brynna said happily.

"Careful now Cody, don't pull at me, Charlie's sleeping."

Sam looked down at the tiny face of her new brother. The hair on his head was blonde and thick. His face a tiny sculpture of perfection. He was absolutely beautiful.

"Oh Mom he's amazing." Sam said softly, smiling without taking her eyes off her new brother.

"Thanks honey." Brynna said, beaming as she moved so that she could hand the little boy to Sam.

This time Sam didn't cringe awkwardly or panic when she took the baby from her step mother. Instead she held him confidently, sliding her hand under his head and cradling him against her chest. The little boy looked to be sleeping soundly.

"Hello there little one" Sam murmured "Welcome to the world Charlie Forster."

Sam gasped when the little boy opened his eyes and looked right at her. He had the same blue eyes as she did and Cody did. Dad's eyes.

"Hello" Sam said to him, smiling down at him. Charlie just blinked back at her.

"Oh Daddy, he's got your eyes." Sam told her father, glancing up to smile at her family.

"Doin' better than she did the first time around." A low voice said quietly. Sam glanced towards the sounds, unsurprised to see that Jake had joined the gathering of people in the Ely's living room. For just a moment, Sam forgot about their earlier fight and smiled at her oldest friend. It seemed right for Jake to be here with them. More right than Sam could ever explain. Jake had always felt like a part of the family with his presence at the births of both of her brothers, as well as all the other important moments in her life, training Blackie, helping her save the Phantom and other wild horse so many times, the birth of Tempest, her first kiss, her return home, and the day he broke her heart. And as Sam stood their holding her new brother and looking into those mustang eyes she loved so much, Sam felt completely overwhelmed by how right Jake's presence had always been in her life ad how wrong it had felt every single day that he was gone.

Gently, Sam pressed a kiss to her new brother's forehead before moving over to hand him to Dad. When she was sure Dad had him, Sam slipped out of the living room and wandered through the Ely house until she got to the back door. Unlatching it silently Sam slipped out the door and down the steps, making her way across the yard in her bare feet , not at all worried that she might get prickles.

Because what did a few prickles matter in comparison to letting any of the people she loved see her cry?

And she was crying.

The overwhelming feelings rolling through her had completely taken control and there was no way she could hold them back, no matter how hard she bit her lip.

Suddenly the rightness of having Jake home was more than she could stand, and as the first tear slid down her cheek Sam started to jog up the hill behind the Ely's ranch house.

Sam had grown accustomed to crying because of Jake Ely over the last few years, but the previous tears she'd spilled had always been associated with the gaping hole he had left in her chest the day he drove away and left her behind. To an extent the tears she cried now were for the same reason, except now they almost felt like tears of relief to have him home. It was almost impossible to explain how right it felt to have him back.

To have him here for the important stuff again. Because until now she hadn't realised just how much she'd missed that. Just how much she had ached every day that he was gone. not just because she loved him and missed him, but because it had felt so wrong that he hadn't been there when he was so much a part of her.

When she was halfway up the hill Sam stopped walking and leant against the large boulder that sat there, the tears streaming down her face as she gasped for breath. Her whole body shuddered with each gasp as sobs wracked her thin frame. Jake could see the way her arms were wrapped tightly around herself and she tried to hold herself together as she leant there against the rock in the moonlight. Slowly he made his way towards her. He knew she'd come out here to lose control in peace, where none of her family or friends could see how upset she was, but he didn't really care about her damn pride.

He cared about the fact that the girl he loved was hurting, and though he wasn't certain, he suspected she was hurting so much that she bawled her eyes out because of him. And she was so wrapped up in her own pain that she didn't even notice that he was only a meter away from her until her whispered "Samantha?"

Sam jumped when she heard his voice. He'd followed her. Of course he had. He was Jake Ely. Always too nosey for his own good! And here she was crying like a baby over him. He wasn't supposed to see this. Wasn't supposed to see how much it hurt her to miss him. How much it hurt to know she still loved him.

Turning away from him Sam tried to make a break for it but before she could Jake pressed his hands against the boulder either side of her body, trapping her in the circle of his arms. Sam was appalled when she actually whimpered even as she tried to escape. Land sakes she was pathetic! But she didn't want Jake to see her like this. She didn't want to have to try to explain to him that this was all because of him and the fact that she was still completely in love with him.

"Brat." Jake said when Sam kept trying to get away from him. And that little word, the nickname she had hated for so long until she realised he'd meant it affectionately, that single word brought Samantha Forster completely undone.

Pressing her hands over her tear sodden face Sam turned back towards Jake, sobbing uncontrollably and stepped into him until her hands over her face rested against his chest and her body was pressed against the length of his. Shocked at her sudden surrender Jake wrapped his around the girl who had been his best friend his entire life. The girl he's fallen irrevocably in love with at seventeen. Her whole body shook as he held her.

"Sam, why are you crying?" He asked her very softly as she gasped and sobbed against him. Sam just shook her head against his chest, clearly refusing to explain.

"C'mon Brat, please tell me?" he murmured into her ear softly.

Sam hiccupped at the tenderness in Jake's voice. She'd only ever heard him use that tone when he was trying to calm a skittish horse. And damn if it didn't work on her. Taking a few deep breaths, Sam tried to calm herself enough to talk. Because she wanted to talk.

She wanted to tell Jake everything.

"Jake..." Sam began, pulling back from him and liking the way his arms tightened around her. but she had to pull away. If she was going to tell him everything then she couldn't be hugging him while she did so.

"You need to let go. We should sit." Sam told him, her voice thick from all her crying.

When Jake realised she was actually going to explain, he let go of her and watched fascinated as she clambered p onto the boulder. When she found a comfortable spot she looked down at him and beckoned for him to join her.

"I never wanted to have this conversation." She told him as he climbed up to sit next to her. Jake didn't say a word, falling back to his old habit of staying silent to get people talking even when they might not have wanted to. Sam took a deep breath in before sighing out again in a whoosh.

"I suppose I should start at the beginning. Which ironically was the end." Sam said a little sarcastically. "The day you left." She clarified, glancing sideways at Jake.

"What about it?" Jake asked her softly.

"You've seen the photos, so I'm sure you know how I felt about you leaving." Sam told him. Jake didn't move.

"I wasn't happy about it. I was mad that you were leaving at all, and I was worried about how our relationship would work with you being so far away. You hadn't really said much about it, but being you that was no surprise. And we'd been having such a good day, with the early morning ride all over this desert." Sam murmured, picturing that day in her mind.

"I loved that day Jake." She whispered. "I loved riding around with you, going swimming, listening to you trying to teach me about tracking. That whole morning while we rode around, I almost forgot that you were gonna leave." Sam said, trying to keep the quaver out of her voice. "And then we got home and your truck was sitting there all packed and ready to go. I remember I narrowed my eyes at the damn thing, irritated at it even though it's just a car. But we rode past it and unsaddled the horses and rubbed them down and you said goodbye to Witch. We had some lunch, Gram made all your favourite foods before you left, and insisted that you take some cherry pie with you before she said goodbye to you."

Sam glanced at Jake again and fond his mustang eyes watching her as she spoke. She took a deep steadying breath.

"We left the house and you held my hand as we walked across the yard towards you car. And the whole time I was gripping you hand so hard because I didn't want you to go, even though I knew you had to. And I kept wondering how we'd go with the distance given your inability to speak, pretty much ruling out phone calls. You rubbed the back of your neck the way you do when you're nervous or uncomfortable and then you hugged me tight." Sam said softly. She could feel the pain building again and feel the way it was turning to anger.

"And then you know what you did Jake?" Sam said coldly, holding his gaze in the dark "You told me you loved me!" Sam spat. Jake flinched at the anger in her voice "And god it felt amazing to hear you say it. Because I wanted to say it anyway but didn't want you to go off to college thinking I was an idiot if you didn't love me back. So I told you that I loved you too and then you kissed me as though I'd just agreed to be your wife. And I was so happy! I was sure that we could make it work in spite of the distance, so sure that everything would be ok because we loved each other."

Jake's eyes had gone wide as Sam spoke and she could see that he understood now that she actually believed they could have made it work.

"And when you stopped kissing me I smiled at you like a fool because I was so happy. And what did you do Jake?" Sam's voice was icy cold as she spoke now. "You looked me right in the eye and said you'd really like it if I waited for you. And just when I was about to tell you I wouldn't ever give up on you or on us, that I'd wait for you forever if I had to, you mumbled something about knowing it was unfair of you to ask that of me and then you broke up with me!" Sam snarled.

"And while I stood there reeling and thinking, how could you do this to me? You bolted for your truck. Didn't give any explanation, didn't wait to hear me fight you on it, you just jumped in your truck and drove away." Jake was watching her with a look of horror and shame on his face as she spoke.

"You've seen the pictures of how I handled the fact that you had just shattered my heart and left without another word Jake. What you couldn't see in those photos is how I screamed in agony until I coughed up blood because you just left me there. How I cried until my nose bled and how I actually pulled out a chunk of my hair. I was devastated." Sam said. "And the question rolling through my mind, the same question that is still unanswered was 'How could you do that to me?'" Sam demanded of him.

"But guess what Jake? You weren't here to explain how you could do that to me. You weren't here to explain how you could say you loved me and then break my heart in the next breath. You were gone and I was stuck here surrounded by people who expected me to keep my emotions in check. People who thought I was just down because I missed having you around. And you don't even know!" Sam said, bordering on hysteria.

"Four years Jake! Four god damned years you've been gone. And in that time I saw you maybe three times. But didn't I hear about you? All the damn time I'd hear about you at college or be asked if I'd heard from you. And every time anyone mentioned you name it felt like I'd been kicked in the head by my colt all over again. Only this time it was worse because instead of the head, it was my heart on the target.

You have no idea what it was like for me. Stuck here, knowing you didn't want me anymore. While I did anything and everything to keep from thinking about you. But was it enough? Of course not. So I turned to the only friend I had left. To the only male willing to fight for me. And you have the nerve to be pissed at me for it?" Sam spat at Jake in disgust.

"That first year you were gone he was at the river every night. It was like he just knew I needed him. Like he knew I was barely holding it together. And then he'd stand strong and solid and tall while my heart imploded all over again, while I lost control and cried until there were no tears left. I was sure that eventually the hole in my chest would fill with tears and it would stop hurting. He knew better. So every night he came back. Sometimes, when it hurt so much that I couldn't even stand he'd let me ride him. He'd take me to his hideaway and show me his herd and his newest babies, distracting me in a way that nothing else ever could. And I knew he loved me. Even if you didn't love me anymore, if ever; I knew that the wildest and most amazing creature on this planet loved me, and that was all I had." Sam said, her voice filled with gratitude and awe of the Phantom.

"I nearly slapped you tonight Jake." Sam told him softly "I hated the last four years of my life. Hated that even though I knew you didn't love me, it still hurt me every day when I'd wake up and remember that you weren't here. And I hated myself for being so bitter when other than you absence my life was amazing. I have friends and family who love me. A little brother who absolutely adores me, a whole ranch of horses to play with. And for all that I still had to try so damn hard every day to make sure that I didn't mope around missing you. And now you're back and you have the nerve to try and be protective and angry about the only thing that kept me going these last four years. I was this close slapping you right across your face. Because there's still that unanswered question Jake. How could you do that to me?"

"How could I not?" Jake said angrily.

And then Sam did what she'd never done to anyone. With a loud crack Sam's open hand slammed against Jake's cheek as she slapped him as hard as she could.

"What the heck was that for?" Jake demanded, clutching his stinging cheek.

"_How could you not?_ You are the stupidest person I've ever met Jacob Ely!" Sam shrieked at him.

"No Samantha, the stupid one here is you. How could I not just drive away? You were fifteen years old and I was one movement away from fallin' on my knees and beggin' you to marry me! If I hadn't done what I did, I damn well would have asked you to bloody marry me. Would have said Fuck college! Would have screwed up my entire life so I could stay here with you for as long as you'd have me!" Jake growled at her.

"What?" Sam exclaimed in shock.

"You heard me!" Jake snarled, sliding off the rock starting to walk away from her again.

"So the only solution was to completely destroy me?" Sam demanded angrily, copying Jake and following him.

Or she was following him until he spun around and stalked back over to her. He looked so mad that Sam was certain he was going to punch something.

"I didn't know what to do Samantha..." He murmured to her. "All I could think about was that we'd never get to see each other, and how I didn't want to go to college. How I never wanted to be away from you. I couldn't stop thinking about how much I loved you."Jake told her while Sam glared at him "And when you told me you loved me back... Sam, I nearly lost it. When I heard you say it my knees nearly buckled. And all I could think was that it'd be ok if they did because I was this close to proposing to you right then!" Jake said holing his thumb and forefinger a centimetre apart in front of her face.

"I was this close to saying 'Damn college, marry me?' and you were fifteen Samantha. Fifteen and all I wanted forever! I panicked because I knew that even if we stayed together and I came home to see you a few weeks after leaving, that every damn time would just be that much harder to go back to college. If I hadn't broken up with you I wouldn't have lasted a year at college" Jake said "And then what Sam? Then when you had graduated you would have gone off to school somewhere and left me behind, or done what I almost did and stayed for me."

"And that's supposed to make it better?" Sam demanded.

"Would you prefer that I'd ruined both our lives?" Jake demanded right back "That instead of driving away, I'd gotten down on one knee in the middle of River Bend Ranch yard and asked a fifteen year old to marry me?"

"I'd prefer you hadn't broken up with me without an explanation." Sam responded.

Jake snorted angrily at her.

"And I should have explained it to you. I'm a damn fool. I know that Samantha." Jake said "But don't for a minute try and stand there and act like I wasn't hurting just as much as you! That I didn't stop when I got to the highway and blubber like a damn baby. That every day I was away I didn't hate myself for doing it. And the only source of comfort I had was Singer, and even he reminded me of you because you damn well gave him to me!" Jake said. "Don't you point that accusing finger at me and tell me that I don't love you when I damn well do!"


	18. All We'd Ever Need

**A/N: Hey my sweet cherubs. Thank you to every one for all your nice reviews. I hope you love the new chapter. Sorry it took so long. Much Love. xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 18: All We'd Ever Need.

Sam held her breath as she heard Jake say those words. She even pinched herself. Surely this was a dream. Jake left because he didn't love her. Didn't trust her to love him back. Didn't want her.

He didn't care that he'd hurt her and had no real foundation for doing so. And Sam was home in bed, having dreamed that Jake came home early, and that Brynna had had the baby at the party, that Kit had a daughter and that she and Jake had argued and he'd told her that he'd wanted to marry her when she was fifteen and told her that he loved her now. It was all just a dream and in a moment she would wake up to Dad knocking on her door and telling her to stop burning daylight.

Wouldn't she?

She pinched herself again, harder this time.

Nothing happened.

Jake was still standing in front of her in the dark on the hill behind the Ely's home. Jake was still breathing hard as though arguing with her took all of his energy. His mustang eyes were wild as he looked at her, but he smiled just a little bit when Sam pinched herself a third time.

"Stop pinchin' yourself Brat, you'll bruise."

Jake sounded calm now, back to his usual easy going sarcastic tone and that lazy tom cat grin.

"What did you just say to me?" Sam asked him.

"To stop pinching yourself."

"Before that?"

"To stop telling me I don't love you when I do."

"Did, you mean."

"No Brat. Do. When I _do_ love you." Jake clarified, his brown eyes teasing her with mischief.

Sam fell back against the rock behind her in shock. Then she leant there staring at Jake like he'd spontaneously turned into a pumpkin just because he felt like it.

Then she stood up again, glaring at him.

"You can't just say that like it makes everything ok Jake!" Sam told him, stomping her foot to emphasise her point. "You still left without an explanation. You still weren't here when I needed you. Even when I pulled stupid, life threatening stunts in the hope that you might actually care! And you didn't. Or you would have seen me more than three times in the last four years."

"Do you ever actually listen when I talk?" Jake asked her mildly.

"Of course I do!" Sam said.

"So you did hear me when I said that every time I saw you made it even harder to leave, which was one of the reasons I broke up with you in the first place?"

"Your excuses don't make it better Jake. You still left, you still let me think you didn't love me, or didn't trust me. You still ignored me when I wrote to you about me coming to visit you. You still let me walk around hurting for four years, let me walk around feeling all _wrong_ because you weren't here for the important stuff. You excuses don't change the fact that you broke my heart."

"I know." Jake said softly.

Suddenly Sam noticed that Jake wasn't wearing his hat and that his hair was hanging loose about his shoulders, the shiny black looking blue under the moonlight. And his mustang eyes gleamed as he looked at her with his thumbs hooked into his pockets. He looked regretful.

"So what happens now?" Sam asked him softly.

He tilted his head to one side and Sam knew he was asking her what she meant without speaking. Typical Jake.

"Maybe you didn't notice, but we've been fighting. And you just declared you love me. So what happens now?"

Jake smirked at that "Well you could tell me how you feel about me now?"

Sam narrowed her eyes at him. Surely he was teasing. Surely he had worked out by now that she wouldn't have been out here crying, or spent the last four years crying about him breaking her heart if she didn't love him back. Surely she wouldn't have made out with him while skinny dipping last night if she didn't still have a massive crush on him.

"Do _you_ ever listen when _I _talk?

"Don't recall you saying one way or the other how you feel about me now."

Sam glared at Jacob Ely for several long moments.

"Do you think I kiss just anyone?" Sam demanded angrily.

Jake smirked a little at the reminder of last night. "I dunno Brat. Been away a long time. Don't know what it is that you do no more."

"I could strangle you Jake Ely!" Sam said.

"I have a better idea." Jake murmured huskily as he stepped closer to Sam. When his face hovered an inch above hers he whispered, "But I'm not doin' it until you tell me how you feel about me now."

Sam quivered with anticipation at the idea of him kissing her again.

"Jake, when you drove away four years ago, you had my heart in your back pocket." Sam whispered to him "And you never really gave it back."

Before Sam could even smile at him Jake's lips took possession of hers. His lips were soft and warm as he kissed her and Sam melted right there. Melted into a quivering puddle of Sam right there in his arms. Stars she loved him!

His tongue gently pressed against the seam of her lips and Sam smiled when she parted them so he could kiss her properly. Her navel was flipping madly as she clutched him to her and their tongues swept tenderly against each other.

Sam didn't know how long they stood there kissing in the moonlight. It could have been centuries. All she knew was that she would love to do this for the rest of her life. Slowly Jake pulled back from her, still cupping her cheeks tenderly in his hands.

"Samantha..." he breathed huskily. Sam opened her eyes and met his gaze. "I'm still this close." He told her, holding his thumb and forefinger close together. Sam smiled for a moment before she realised he meant he was that close to getting down on one knee and proposing to her. As much as she loved him and would no doubt marry him some day, she was too young yet.

"Jake" Sam cautioned.

"Too young, I know. I heard you this morning with Jen. But I'm still this close to askin'. I want to love you forever." Jake told her.

Sam smiled at him.

"Should probably ask me to be your girlfriend again first."

Jake fixed her disbelieving look. Before raising his eyebrows at her questioningly. Sam rolled her eyes. Typical Jake, thinking that just raising his eyes brows would be enough.

"Ask me properly Jake." Sam told him, stepping back from him a little.

"Brat if you want me to verbally ask I'm gonna drag you down to the ranch yard and get that furry little box out of my glove compartment and get down on one knee in front of everyone." Jake told her.

Sam gulped.

"What?" She squeaked "What furry little box? Do you mean a ring box Jake?" Sam demanded.

Jake nodded.

"I'm sorry, what? Why do you have a ring box in your glove compartment?" Sam squeaked again.

"You sure you listen when I talk?" Jake asked her, quirking an eyebrow. "Sam I was so in love with you that at eighteen I was one breath away from asking you to marry me then. And I ain't never stopped loving you that much." Jake said, shrugging his shoulders.

Sam stared at him.

"Prove it."

Jake raised his eyebrows "How am I supposed to prove I love you?"

"I meant prove it about the box." Sam said.

"I'm not showing you the ring Sam. Not until I actually ask you to marry me." Jake said, "So unless you want me to ask you now; you're not seein' it."

"Fine. But I want to see the actual box."

"Why?"

"Jake I'm almost nineteen years old. And you just told me you've wanted to propose to me since you were eighteen. Then broke up with me. Yet sometime during the last four years you supposedly still loved me enough to buy a damn ring! I want you to prove it."

"Fine." Jake said before striding away from her. Sam started to pick here way down the hill, trying to make sure she wouldn't get and burrs or prickles in her bare feet. She'd been lucky on the way up. Jake stormed back a moment later and turned around so he stood in front of her with his back to her.

"Get on Brat." He said gruffly.

Sam giggled just a little bit before climbing onto Jake's back and letting him piggy back her down the hill.

When they reached the bottom Sam slid off him, and Jake took her hand, leading her around the side of the stone ranch hose, past the clothes lines and Maxine's veggie garden. When they reached the ranch yard Sam noticed that practically everyone had left, no doubt after learning that the baby and mother were both healthy. The yard was deserted. Still holding Jake's hand, Sam stopped to pick up her shoes and carried them over to her truck. She had a spare pair of boots in there and she pulled them on while Jake went to his truck. She had just finished pulling the second one on when Jake stopped in front of her again.

His fist clutched something and when Sam met his gaze, he turned his palm so that the box rested on his open hand.

And there it was. A little furry green box. It looked tiny on Jake's huge palm, and when Sam reached for it Jake closed his hand back around it.

"Like I trust you not to peek." He smirked at her.

"Oh come on Jake. I promise I won't look." Sam whined at him. She was completely awed by this. Jake narrowed his eyes at her before slowly opening his hand again and letting Sam pick it up.

It truly was a ring box. And the fuzzy feel of the velvet against her skin made Sam shiver.

"When?" She asked Jake softly.

"After my first year." He murmured. His brown eyes looked vulnerable as he stared down at her and Sam felt her love for him burn a little brighter. "That summer when I came home I was gonna ask you properly. I didn't care that you were only sixteen. But you kept avoiding me and acting like we'd never been together." Jake told her as Sam let him take the box back off her. He slid it into the pocket of his jeans. "Thought I'd blown it completely. I nearly returned this. But it's so you that I held onto it, hoping that someday I could change your mind." Jake told her.

Sam watched as he turned away from her, clearly uncomfortable talking about this without his hat to hide under.

"Jake..."Sam murmured, waiting until Jake looked at her before continuing. "I never stopped loving you either you know."

When Jake rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lip on a smile Sam grinned.

"So... Do you wanna be my girlfriend again?" he asked her softly, still rubbing the back of his neck.

Sam nodded, grinning at him even as she took hold of the front of his shirt and pulled him down so she could kiss him. Briefly Sam pressed her lips against Jake's before she pulled away and slipped past him, heading for the stone ranch house where her family were.

Sam glanced over her shoulder when she heard Jake snort.

"What?" she asked him.

Jake looked at her with an odd expression on his face for about a minute.

"You. Used to be that I could predict every movement and practically read your thoughts right off you face. Now I can't even predict your reactions. The girl I left behind would've kissed me proper after what just happened here."

Sam turned around to face Jake, that lazy tom cat smile of his that she had perfected on her petty face.

"The girl you left behind learned to bury her feelings and kill that endless chatter." Sam told him.

Jake just stared at her.

"Don't look at me like that Jake. The girl you left behind is still in here, she's just buried real deep and gonna take a lot of coaxing to get her back out in the open." Sam whispered to him. She grinned when Jake smiled real slow at her.

"Now, are you done gawkin'? You need to meet your possible -future-brother-in-law." Sam told him before turning back around and walking into his house.

Jake trailed along behind the woman he loved. She'd agreed! She'd actually agreed to be his girlfriend again! Jake had been so sure when she threw their break up in his face earlier that he'd never win her back. That he'd never convince her to forgive him for stupidly breaking up with her.

He hadn't meant to tell her about the ring he'd bought her.

Especially after the incident that morning with Jen. He'd meant to keep that fact that as a nineteen year old kid he'd gotten a job stacking hay for a farmer, saved up for months and then walked into a ring shop, spotted and purchased a ring that suited Sam perfectly. He didn't want to spook her or have her turn him down like Jen had done to Slocum. Because there was no way he'd survive having Sam tell him she didn't want to marry him.

Hell he'd developed a crush on her when she'd showed up on River Bend wearing all black clothes and with the awful punk haircut. And the two years that followed had tested his patience and his sanity beyond belief. He could even pinpoint the day when he realised he'd liked her a whole lot more than just a friend too.

Angry as a cut snake at her and she was taking damn pictures of him while he stood in the freezing snow clutching a wet foal. But that day as she lost herself in a snowstorm to save that blind little foal Jake had realised that in spite of how much he worried about her and how much it drove him crazy, he loved how she did anything she deemed necessary to save the life of an animal. And he knew it was the Indian spirit in him that approved of that. When Witch- a more foul tempered and rude and spiteful horse he'd never met- let Samantha Forster climb up behind Jake and ride double with him Jake was just about ready to eat his hat in shock. And he knew then that he was a goner.

From that day he'd begun to notice the little things about Sam. The way she crinkled her nose when she laughed. The way she watched a horse with an expression of awe on her face. The way her nostrils flared when she was mad about something. He'd always noticed expressions and cues and been able to guess what someone felt or thought without them saying, but with Sam he became so attuned to her, and she became so attuned to him that they didn't even have to speak.

That Sam was still somewhere inside her, even though she had retreated to hide behind the attitude of a cowgirl. And it was that Sam, with her incredibly big heart and the love and understanding she extended to all animals, especially the wildest and most dangerous ones, that had somehow found it in her to forgive him for breaking both of their hearts and driving away like the biggest idiot the world had ever seen.

Jake knew one thing though, now that he had her back in his life, there was no way he was letting her get away from him ever again.


	19. Reno

**A/N: Cherubs! MERRY CHRISTMAS! Ok So I absolutely adore chrsitmas time. Which is why i've been working tirelessly to provide you all witht the gift of my longest chepters yet! So how doe 13488 words sound for a chapter hmmmm? A nice little christmas present for everyone? I'm also working to get some nice long chapters written for my other two stories, so fingers crossed that they'll be ready before xmas day but with the family gatherings upon us I'm not certain it can be achieved. By i'm trying. Anyways I hope y'all love the chapter and pretty please review to tell me what you think =) I hope you all have a very safe and Happy Christmas and that the new year is goot to y'all. Much love my sweet cherubs. xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 19: Reno

It has been a whole week since Jake had come home and Sam was practically dead on her feet. Because it felt like so much longer than just a measly little week. Seven Days. Yeah, sure it was only seven days. It felt more like seven weeks, Sam was so tired and worn out. Charlie Forester was to blame. Yep, Sam's tiredness was entirely on cute little Charlie. Because it seemed her baby brother had a particular liking for crying loudly during sleeping hors, and sleeping like a rock during hours when loud and obnoxious screaming was more acceptable. And to top it off, Cody was almost as bad. Since their new brother's birth, Cody had spent every night in Sam's bed because he kept being woken by the sound of Charlie crying in Dad and Brynna's bedroom.

And due to the lack of sleep that the entirely family was suffering from, tempers and grouchiness were running rabid within the Forster house. In fact things had gotten so bad that last night Sam had declared that she and Cody would be sleeping in the barn in the hopes of achieving some peace.

It didn't help at all that today Sam had to trailer Frost to the rodeo in Reno where she would be meeting with the man interested in buying Frost. Which was why she was rolling out of her warm sleeping bag before the sun had even thought about getting up yet. Cody was curled up in his own sleeping bag next to her in the stall, and Sam smiled down at the little boy, he looked peaceful and angelic in sleep. Sam snorted to herself as she thought that this was the most pleasant she had seen her brother since they had bought Charlie home.

She had been right when she had told Dad that Cody would lose it when Brynna started moaning and yelling about the fact that Charlie simply would not stop crying during the night for more than an hour or so. She hadn't been surprised when the kid had showed up in her room, sniffling as he asked if he could sleep in her bed. Cody's room was right next to Dad ad Brynna's, so he copped the worst of the noise through the thin walls. Whereas Sam's and Gram's were further away, but the sound was still painfully loud in the silence of the night.

She had known last night when she declared that they were both sleeping in the barn that she would need to be up ridiculously early so she had bought a change of clothes out with her, ensuring she wouldn't have to go inside and wake the household if they had somehow managed to gain some desperately needed sleep. Her stomach growled as she changed and stretched, but Sam told her insistent stomach that breakfast would have to wait until a decent hour, after she had loaded Frost and the riding gear that she would need for the events she was entered into at the Rodeo into the horse trailer.

She was dying to get back into the saddle because yesterday she had been house bound, having to babysit Charlie while he slept and Cody while he grizzled, while Dad rode the range and Gram took Brynna into Darton to give her a break from Charlie before she murdered the little brat. So all of yesterday, instead of reassuring herself again that Frost was perfect and ready for sale to an unmet buyer, Sam had been trapped indoors, resorting to baking and household chores and waking her baby brother and making him play with her for several hours rather than sleeping in an effort to alter his sleeping patterns and allow the household a modicum of peace by making him so tired by night time that he would simply fall asleep rather than screaming. And she'd landed that job, Gram had argued, because today she would get to go to Reno and ride in rodeo events and regain some sanity.

But she hadn't minded playing with both of her brothers. It was intriguing to watch the way Cody reacted to Charlie and vice versa. They were both curious about each other and, in spite of his bad mood, Cody had managed to play a game of Peek-a-Boo with his baby brother for half an hour. It had also given Sam the time to get on the internet and utilise the skills she'd learned in her fast-tracked journalism coarse in San Francisco to dig up every scrap of information out there about the people interested in buying Frost. After all, Sam loved that horse, they had a strong trust and there was no way on earth that Sam would let her go to a home where she would be treated as anything less than a princess.

Cody was also less than pleased that he didn't get to go with her to the rodeo in Reno today, but everyone else was so busy preparing for the Cattle drive in three days time that Sam was going alone to the rodeo and so no-one would be able to supervise Cody while she rode in the events. And there was no way Sam or any of the Forester's were going to risk the safety of any member of the family, but especially Cody.

Just last week on the news there had been a story about a toddler who had been trampled and gored by a bull when she had wandered away from her busy parents and somehow found her way into a pen full of angry and aggressive rodeo bulls. She was still in a coma, in a critical condition in hospital, last night's news had reported. Cody knew better than that of course, but rodeo's held many dangers, including the danger of such a busy crowd masking the abduction of a child by psychopaths or even just the interaction with creeps like that awful racist man who smelled so filthy when she and Jake had gone to the fair as children, the one who looked like he might spit on them just because Jake was half Indian.

So Cody would be staying home. Much to his displeasure. Even last night before he had fallen asleep he had argued with Sam that it wasn't fair that she got to go and mean of her to go without him. He had been so over-tired and upset about it that he had burst into tears and was almost to the porch before realising that if he slept inside he would be woken by Cody and wouldn't have Sam to cuddle him.

The horses nickered cautiously from the ten acre pasture as Sam moved across the ranch yard in the inky darkness. They couldn't see her, but they could hear that something was moving. As she let herself into the pasture she crooned softly to them to let them know they were safe. Most of them blew air through their lips in sighs ad went back to grazing or dozing. But her favourite horses crowded close to her. Frost, Ace and Tempest and Popcorn all jostled for her attention, each of them whuffling their lips as she gave them all sugar cubes.

"How are my favourite ponies doing today?" she asked them softly as Ace hung his head over her shoulder in a horsey hug and blew sweet smelling breath on her neck. "Pleased to see me? Or just relieved that it's me at this hour?"

Tempest stamped her hoof and Sam giggled at the clear indignation. Well her horses loved her at least, which made it totally worth it that she had spent her life getting into trouble for them- and most of the time with them right there alongside her.

"Frost, are you excited for today, pretty girl? We get to go on a trip together pretty girl. Yeah, all that hard work we've put in is going to be put to use for real today. And then we might be finding you a new home." Sam murmured to the mare while Frost tugged on Sam's jumper with her teeth. "I don't want to let you go sweetie, I'd love to be able to keep you forever, where I know you'll be safe and loved and well cared for. But if I kept every horse I saved then I'd go broke and end up having to lose all of you. But I'll make sure they are nice people. I did some research online and found out about the stables the people interested in you run. They are very fancy and I know you'll be well looked after and loved. And you'll have a human all your own. Not one that you have to share like the way you have to share my attention with Ace and Tempest and the Phantom and all the other horses that need the exercise and work on this ranch. I know it's sad though, here you thought that we'd just gotten rid of Witch and that I'd have more attention for you, but now it's time for us to go away and possibly our last day together."

Sam felt almost close to tears as she worried at her lip while she scratched Frost's withers. This was the worst part of the life she'd chosen to lead. It broke her heart when she took in these abused and unloved animals, or when she adopted a new mustang from the BLM and they were so terrified and untrusting, but those were things she could always fix. She always found a way to help them. The only problem was that every single time she gave each horse, in fact every animal she came into contact with, she gave them all a little piece of her heart. After all the only true way to develop the love and trust that allowed her to bond with the animals was to give herself to them as wholeheartedly and they gave themselves to her.

But eventually it came time when she had to give them up, either giving them back to their owners when she was re-schooling ponies who had bad habits or, in the harder cases, when she saved the life of horses on death row from the auction yards and then had to find them new homes that would take them and love them in a way that she simply couldn't because she already had so many animals to love and care for. And Sam knew in her heart, even as that first tear slid down her face silently, that they all deserved better than her. she might be able to help them along and love them, but the horse deserved to be loved the way she loved Ace and Tempest and the Phantom. They deserved the type of owner who would dedicate infinite hours of devotion to them. The type of owner who worshipped their horse the way Sam worshipped Ace and Tempest. And they deserved the awe from an owner who could look at them with as much wonder as she felt whenever she looked at the Phantom.

All of Sam's horse friends must have sensed her sadness because as another tear escaped the corner of Sam's eye, she felt Tempest's tongue swipe across her face the way a puppy would lick. And Ace nudged her gently while Popcorn stamped his hoof. Sam felt herself smile at them. They were truly the best.

"Thanks guys." Sam whispered to them. "Well Frosty, I suppose you better say goodbye to your friends, I'm fairly certain this Ian Kendle will be buying you for his son Micheal. And we need to get on the road otherwise we'll miss our events and then all that practising we did will be wasted." Sam told the blue roan mare. The morning began to lighten as the sun thought about getting up and Sam heard soft noises coming from the bunk house and from the ranch house kitchen. Burning daylight, Sam thought to herself with a chuckle. If there was one thing a cowboy couldn't stand, it was burning daylight.

And Sam knew that in spite of the fact that dawn hadn't broken yet, in a cowboy's mind this was still burning daylight. The sun may not have broken out above the horizon, but it had begun to slowly dim the inky blackness of the night. As Sam led Frost out of the pasture she was startled by an unfamiliar sight.

Emerging from the barn was a tall, broad shouldered man and in his arms he carried a crying Cody Forster. It took Sam a glance around the yard and the sighting of Witch at the hitching post to fully register that the man crooning softly to her kid brother was in fact a hatless Jacob Ely.

Frost snorted at her, snapping Sam's attention back and she realised that in her shock she had actually stopped walking even as Jake carried her brother across the ranch yard. Both boys looked up at the snort and Sam found herself staring into those brown mustang eyes that she loved so much.

"Sammy?" a watery, sniffling voice wavered at her squeakily "Thought you were already gone and that you left me in the barn by myself." He said sadly. Sam stifled her smile at the gruff way her brother said those words, clearly needing to express himself but also wanting to be as tough as cowboy. All of this week except for yesterday he had been riding out with Dad in the mornings, in the hopes of giving Brynna peace and the change in him was already noticeable. Even now he spoke more like Dad, using no more words than necessary.

Sam kept leading the mare, shaking her head gently at her brother, and for the time being ignoring Jake. When she led Frost into the horse trailer and made sure she was ready for long distance travel, Sam finally emerged again and found that the ranch yard was empty. Or at least she thought it was empty, since she couldn't see anyone. Assuming Jake had taken Cody inside to Gram so he could be fed, Sam quickly lifted up the ramp of the trailer and secured it. She'd already put the riding gear in the tray of old Hester, so after she'd eaten she could take off straight away. And she needed to or she'd be late for her first event.

Sam was halfway across the yard when she felt like something was behind her. Whirling around, hair flying, Sam gasped as Jake practically ran into her. his arms automatically caught her before she could fall backwards from their collision, and if Sam wasn't so mad at him for sneaking up behind her she might have enjoyed the way it felt to have his warm strong arms around her.

"Tired huh Brat?" Jake said softly, a chuckle in his voice.

Sam glared at him even as she pulled away from him. When she whirled back around to storm into the house she heard Jake's soft laughter.

"Thought you'd gotten more observant without me here to look over your shoulder for ya." He said.

"As a matter of fact Jacob" Sam growled, spinning back to face him before she'd taken three steps "I got along just fine without you and your domineering ways. So feel free to go right ahead and take them and yourself away again." Sam snapped angrily. Even as she spoke Sam wished she could pull the words back in, especially when she saw those shutters slam down within Jake's eyes as he closed off from her, clearly offended and angry.

He didn't get two strides around her towards the house before Sam caught his hand. Still Jake wouldn't look at her and Sam felt her insides squirm with guilt. It was a horrible thing to say to him as her friend, but as the boyfriend who'd left her and finally come back it was just downright mean of her to say such a thing to him. He's only been poking fun.

"I'm sorry, Jake." Sam said softly "I didn't mean it, and I'm sorry for snapping. I'm just really tired and grumpy. Everyone on this place is." Jake turned to look down at her but he still didn't speak and his jaw was still set. "I know that's no excuse. And I really am sorry." Sam told him.

Where her hand touched his arm Sam subconsciously drew love hearts with her fingers on his skin. Since the night of Charlie's birth, the relationship between her and Jake had been interesting to say the least. Through the day she worked the horses and did the jobs around the ranch that she always did, and almost every day Jake was right next to her, helping or doing whatever work Dad or Dallas gave him. He attended meals with the Forster family when he was here and Sam smiled every time she saw him. Even when he poked fun at her or in a typical Jake manner, tried to tell her what to do like he had always done when they were kids.

Sam smiled when she saw Jake's eyes soften slightly as he glanced at the hearts she drew on his skin. And she sighed in relief when he slowly tugged her into him and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Wrapping her arms around his waist Sam smiled contentedly, resting her head against Jake's chest and breathing in the scent that was him. That smell of soap and horses and that spicy scent she could never put her finger on. She wasn't sure if her family had worked out that she and Jake were a couple again, but honestly, if they'd missed it then they must really be tired.

"Sorry" Sam whispered again. In response Jake pressed a kiss to her forehead before releasing her, taking her hand and walking with her toward the house.

Sam's taste buds began to water and her nostrils flared wide to catch the delicious scents that filled the kitchen as she and Jake entered the house. Gram stood at the stove, frying up the regular Saturday breakfast, eggs and bacon and sausage and biscuits and toast and vegie fritters. Cody was asleep in his chair with his head on the table.

"Morning Gram." Sam said around a yawn and she moved over and kissed her grandmother on the cheek.

"Morning Sam honey, Jake." Gram said, smiling at both of them. Just as she opened her mouth to ask Sam to do something, Sam beat her to it, picked up the kettle as it began to whistle, setting out the numerous cups and filling them with coffee and the right amount of sugar cubes and cream as per each of her family members liking.

"Thanks honey." Gram said, patting Sam's cheek as she handed Gram her coffee.

When she moved over to the table carrying a hot chocolate for Cody and a coffee with two sugars and cream for Jake, Jake smiled at her warmly and Sam couldn't help smiling back. She felt that tingly feeling under her skin at the way he looked at her with love in his brown eyes like that.

"Did you get much sleep last night Gram?" Sam asked her, moving back across the kitchen and carrying over Dad and Brynna's coffee's, setting them at their places at the table so that they would be ready and waiting when they both came downstairs. When she finally picked up her own cup she sighed at the taste. Normally she drank hot chocolate, but she'd been so tired lately that today she had opted for a mocha with three sugars to satisfy her sweet tooth.

"Actually honey, whatever you did with Charlie yesterday must have worn him out. He slept for four hours straight last night. Thank the stars he did too, Brynna and Wyatt are just at their wits end. I think that this week they've each had maybe eight hours of sleep. When Charlie woke up after the longest sleep he's had through the night so far, poor Brynna just couldn't take it. She's still sore from the birth and so tired and frustrated with him that she just burst into tears. I took Charlie with me to my bed and told them to sleep in a little longer this morning. Dallas and the hands could get the early chores done without your father today I told them. I managed to keep Charlie quiet most of the night though. Yesterday while we were in Darton we bought a pacifier for him. We hadn't been to town before yesterday and all the ones we had from when Cody was a baby got ruined because he just loved chewing them when he was teething." Gram said, as she carried them over some breakfast.

Dad wandered into the kitchen just as Gram shovelled a pile of food onto his plate. He still had bags under his eyes, but he looked a little better rested than he had yesterday. Even as he dropped into his seat his eyes scanned the other occupants of the kitchen and Sam smiled a little when he looked surprised to see Jake there.

"Thought you were helpin' Luke gettin' everything ready for the summer drive today Jake?" Dad said as he nudged Cody awake. "Rude sleepin' on the table kid." He reprimanded Cody before Jake could answer him.

Cody blushed an adorable shade of red and mumbled "Sorry." Before digging into his breakfast with his head down.

Sam could see Jake's tiny smile at the kid's embarrassment.

"Told me last night everything's organised. Told me to get out of his hair." Jake admitted before sipping his coffee. "Figured I'd go with Sam to this rodeo, unless y'all need my help 'round here?"

"Oh now that's a nice idea." Brynna's voice said softly as she came into the room carrying her new baby. "I was worrying through the night about Sam going by herself." Sam watched her stepmother yawn.

"It's not that I don't think you can do it honey. Of course you can. You've sold horses before after all, and you're sensible and usually level-headed these days. But I couldn't help thinking that if, Stars forbid, something happens while you're travelling or riding in the events, well... I don't even want to think about it. And I think we've got things covered here. You go along with Sam, Jake." Brynna finished as she lowered herself carefully into her chair. She must have recently fed Charlie, because she had a towel over her shoulder and she held him in a way that his face was over her shoulder too and she lightly patted his back as she burped him.

Jake glanced across at Sam assessing her reaction to having him tag along with her to the rodeo today. Sam gave him a smile around her mouthful of toast. In times past she might have searched for criticisms within Brynna's statement bout _usually _being level-head _these days_ but she knew after living with the woman for so many years that her step-mother was merely stating fact that at times she rushed head-long into action without thought of the consequence.

"Does that mean I can go to the rodeo too?" Cody piped up excitedly. "'Cause if Jake's there then I can go right? You said I couldn't 'cause there'd be no-one to watch me and make sure I didn't get hurt while Sammy rides."

Sam was about to look at Jake to see if he would mind babysitting her kid brother while she rode today, when Dad interrupted.

" 'Fraid I need you here kiddo." He said "Run on upstairs and get your work gear on. Don't forget to wear socks with your boots." Dad told him sternly, noticing that Cody had finished his breakfast.

"But..." Cody began.

"No buts Cody. You promised me yesterday you'd help me fix that little hole we found in the fence that the coyotes have made so the calves don't get stuck. Gave me your word." Dad said.

Cody looked like he still wanted to disagree.

"You've been taught lots of times that one of the most important things is to never break your word unless you absolutely have to, for the sake of safety." Brynna told him.

Sam already felt sorry for the kid, knowing how unfair it felt when the adults ganged up, even before Gram spoke up.

"And you know that work has to come before fun. It might very well be fun to go to the rodeo with Jake and Sam, but you have work to do, work you gave your word you'd help with." She said.

Sam stayed silent, gnawing on her lip to keep from pointing out how unfair it was to gang up on a four year old about working on the ranch.

"But Sammy gets to go. Doesn't she have work to do too?" Cody asked innocently, clearly struggling for legitimate reasons that he should be allowed to go.

Sam was dying to tell them all it would be fine if he came along, but she'd learned from experience that in this kind of situation, interrupting just landed her in trouble because the adults were trying to teach him life rules and proper values and Cody just got all confused when Sam said he could while they said he couldn't.

"She does. But part of her work is going to the rodeo and selling Frost. To make money." Brynna told her first born son.

"So even though it might be fun at the rodeo Sammy will actually be working?" Cody asked.

"That's right sweetie. She gets to ride and have some fun while she's there, but she wouldn't be going at all if it wasn't for work." Gram told the adorable little boy.

"Oh" Cody said, realising that he couldn't win "What about Charlie? Does he have work to do too?"

"Samantha this is your doin'!" Dad snapped at her.

"What did I do?" Sam asked, shocked at the sudden accusal.

"If the boy didn't spend so much time glued to your side he wouldn't be askin' so many darned questions." Dad growled. Sam tried to bite her tongue, knowing he only spoke harshly because he was sleep deprived and fed up with the endless questions Cody could ask when he got going. But it seemed Sam's own sleep deprivation didn't care about rational and logical excuses for Dad's unfair rudeness.

"If it's my fault then maybe it's because the poor kid is forced to spend all day glued to my side, even while I'm workin' because the rest of y'all are too damn busy to give him the time of day and actually spend time with him, let alone explain life to him." She growled right back.

Dad's shock and hurt and anger at her words showed for seconds before his face darkened.

"Sam that wasn't fair. You know Wyatt works hard to balance ranch life and time with you kids." Brynna said, trying to reason with that stubborn streak bred into every Forster. She had no hope of winning but in every argument or discrepancy between Sam and Gram or Sam and Dad or even Dad and Gram, she still tried to reason with them and make them all see things from a different side. Out of the corner of her eye Sam could see Jake rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably and looking like he wanted to escape the kitchen and the awkwardness of the arguement.

"Oh like you're any better Brynna" Sam growled, her tongue running wild because of the misplaced blame, indignation and tiredness were clearly getting the better of her and turning her right back into the whiny, brat of a thirteen year old she had once been "Honestly, you have a young son at home who needs you, now you have two, and yet instead of sticking around and raising them like you darn well should instead you lump Cody onto me and Gram when he's barley a year old so that you can go back to work. And the work you do for the horses and the BLM is appreciated and amazing, but clearly you aren't putting in enough time with your children. Last week was proof enough. The kid spends so much damn time with me that I'm more of a mother to him than you. No wonder y'all couldn't even put him to bed and make him sleep. You didn't even know the process I go through every damn night just to get him to sleep! So _Dad_ maybe you're right. It is my fault Cody asks so many questions, because his best role model has been me!"

Sam snapped out of her tirade as she heard the screeching scrape of a chair being shoved back. Next to her Jake got to his feet.

"Enough." He told her, hauling her out of her chair by the arm and man handling her out the door before she could say another cruel word to her family.

Sam was still bristling and just getting good and frothy as Jake shoved her out the door.

"Don't you dare push me Ely!" She snarled at him rounding on him as her irrational anger swelled to include her boyfriend.

"Or you'll what Samantha?" Jake demanded.

"Let go of me Jake!" She snapped, trying to drag her arm out of his grip so she could go back inside and have another go at her family for blaming her for things that were in fact their fault, and so she could point out the rest of the reason that it was not her fault but theirs.

"You said enough Samantha. Stop acting like a child." Jake told her. "And stop pointin' that darned finger at me!"

Well all that did was make Sam even madder.

"Right, because pointing out the ways that I'm more of a parent to Cody than they are is very childish of me. Defending myself against false accusations is really immature of me. How dare I?!" Sam screeched at him, still fighting to get out of his grip.

"Samantha" Jake growled, getting angry himself "Shut your mouth now and get in the damn car or I'll throw you over my shoulder and put you there myself." His words were angry and sharp and Sam stared at him in shock. There had only been one time in her life that she could ever remember Jake speaking to her like that. He'd often argued with her when it involved her own safety and how that _was _more important than an animal's safety and argued with her when she was being a fool, but in those times he raised his voice only so much and if she didn't shut up and listen to him, he walked away. Yet today he practically yelled at her, and threatened her. The only other time he had ever used that tone with her was the day in the parking lot at Darton high when he'd been so angry and jealous about Kit that he'd uttered words that had hurt far more than she'd ever thought they could. The day his face went cold and unreadable when he'd told her that '_You're friend ain't here no more!"_

Sam just stared at him, her indignation and anger washing away in her shock that he would threaten her. He'd threatened her when they were kids of course, but never like this. Never in that tone that said he wasn't kidding around with her, that his patience was completely gone and so was his rationality.

The horses in the pasture all stood at the fence, restlessly watching the two crazed humans yelling at each other. All of the chickens in their pen stratched the dry dirt and clucked nervously and even the birds had stopped singing and calling.

Sam and Jake stood facing each other, each scowling and each with their arms crossed stubbornly. Sam knew she had overreacted to Dad's comment, and she knew that the things she had said were harsh and unfair, if somewhat true to a certain extent. She knew that tempers were running high in the Forster house because Charlie wouldn't let anyone sleep, and she knew she should apologise. She had acted like a child in accusing both her father and her stepmother of pitiable parenting, and the things she had said were not just harsh, but mean.

It was wrong of her to snap at them like at, to shout at them that they were doing a poor job, and she knew that Jake had saved her hide because she had been about to accuse of them both of not being able to properly raise the son they had, and then to point out, that being the case, that they shouldn't have had another child at all. Indicating that Charlie shouldn't have been born.

She knew now that she had calmed down that she would be wrong, she loved her new brother as much as she loved Cody, though her patience with him was massively decreased because it was entirely the baby's fault that everyone in her family was currently so unhappy. She should apologise before going off to Reno all day, Sam thought. She even turned and began to walk back inside, but she didn't get far.

"You're not going back in there Samantha." Jake said, his hand clamped around her arm again.

Sam looked at him. "Actually I am. I'm not going away all day, with the possibility that I may never see any one of them again, without apologising."

"What?" Jake said, letting go of her in his surprise. His expression said he didn't understand her.

"Jake I know better than anyone that anything could happen. We could crash on the drive and die. Something could go wrong on the range and Dad could fall off Jeep or be crushed or attacked by rabid coyotes. Brynna could get depressed, or get an infection or choke one something or fall over and hit her head or Gram could have a heart attack or a stroke or any other sort of horrible thing that happens to regular folk all the time. With my luck, it will probably all happen at the same time and I could come home tonight to find dead relatives. And don't look at me like that, I'm well aware that it's morbid. But if the worst were to happen, I couldn't stand the idea of having had the last words I said to my family members be so cruel and unfair and spoken purely in anger. Now quit jawin' and let me go in there so I can get on with swallowing my stupid pride and apologising!" Sam said.

Taking a deep breath for courage Sam walked back into the house to find her family still sitting at the table. They'd obviously been listening to her fight with Jake. But they were clearly upset with her. Brynna was crying a little, and Gram looked like she was still in shock. Dad's jaw was set in a hard line. Cody must have gone upstairs to change out of his pyjamas.

Sam sank down into her seat which was still far back from the tale and askew because of Jake dragging her out of it.

"Dad, Brynna, I'm sorry for what I said. It was unfair of me. I overreacted and let my bad mood get the best of me. But just because I'm tired doesn't mean I have to right to yell at any of you. I thought sleeping in the barn would help but Cody can't lie still and he woke me up almost as much as Charlie does. I'm sorry that I've upset you and I didn't mean the things I said. You're both great parents and you do the best you can. I suppose I hadn't realised that I felt so strongly about being Cody's constant babysitter." Sam said sincerely.

When she was finished Gram reached over and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Dad was still scowling, but he looked slightly appeased.

"We're all tired honey, and I can understand that you might sometimes feel like you're the parent to Cody because he does spend all day with you and me here at the house and in the ranch yard. The introduction of another child, especially one who is proving to be painfully disobedient is hard on all of us. But this week Cody has been with Wyatt on the range more, and Brynna has been here looking after Charlie. But it's still been hard, after all any sleep you might have been able to have is being impinged because Cody has been just as sulky as Charlie and with him sleeping in your bed, the way he wriggles around, it's not surprising that you're tired and cranky." Gram soothed gently.

"But still. I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm sorry." Sam said.

"You were out of line Samantha, but so was I." Dad said, clearly regretting having snapped at her in the first place. Brynna still cried softly.

"Get on, now or you'll be late." Dad told her, nodding his head towards the door. Sam glanced at the oven clock and cringed. She was already going to be late, but it didn't matter really. If she sold Frost today for the price she was asking, it would easily cover the deposit fee she had paid to enter the first event.

Bolting back out the door Sam glanced around the yard for Jake. Witch had been unsaddled and stood in the ten acre pasture with Tempest and Ace and Popcorn. But Sam couldn't see Jake. At least she couldn't until he stuck his head out the driver side window of her truck.

"You comin' slow poke?"

"You're in my seat" Sam told him when she stood next to the door. Jake chuckled at her.

"Brat I'm drivin'. Tired as you are you'll have us upside-down in the river before we even get across the bridge. I'll drive and you can catch up on all that sleep you been missin'" Jake said "Now get in or I'm goin' without ya."

Grumbling to herself but realising that Jake was right and not wanting to admit it to him, Sam made her way around the front of her old truck and climbed into the passenger seat.

Jake laughed when he realised Sam was asleep even before they were all the way across the bridge.

Jake shook Sam awake when they had driven into the showground where the rodeo was being held. Reno rodeo was always a big weekend and there were people everywhere. Blearily Sam stared around, taking in the sight of countless people on horseback and even more on foot simply enjoying the atmosphere of the rodeo.

Her nose was filled with the scent of livestock and manure and frying grease. Everywhere there were food stalls selling burgers and chips and dagwood dogs and cotton candy and soda. The stalls that weren't sold knick knacks and junk that usually broke by the time you got it home. Several carnival rides were also set up and children swarmed in excitement. Smiling a little Sam wondered idly if that scents n her nose where the ones that made up a worldly scent of excitement. Because she could feel it. The grounds pulsed with it.

"Eye's lit up like a wide-eyed kid." Jake muttered tipping his hat down, but not before Sam caught a glimpse of the lazy tom cat smile and flashing mustang eyes he tried to hide.

"Simple pleasures, Jake." Sam told him, tugging her own hat brim down a little before she tossed her tasselled pony tail over her shoulder and set to work unloading Frost and getting her saddled up. Even as she did Sam saw Jake go to her truck and take a slip of paper from the truck's cab before he wandered off into the crowd.

Sam was just dying to get a glimpse of the riders in the arena as she swung into the saddle. She knew that today's rodeo wasn't just run today. It had run all week and into the weekend. Folks came from miles around to compete in the events of the rodeo and Sam herself was excited for today. She was entered in the cutting event, to show off Frost's skills as a cow pony, as well as the barrel race and calf rope.

She hadn't admitted it to anyone except her faithful horse friends that there was an ulterior motive to her competing in events like the roping. Such an event allowed for any interested parties to admire Frost's training and skills, but secretly Sam knew she also entered events like that because it not only showed off her mount's skill, but her own as well. Because while she barely dared to admit it to herself, Sam knew in her heart that she was working hard to build a reputation for herself as a cowgirl and horsewoman, but also as a well respected trainer and tamer of horses. Though she hated that word _tamer_. There was something about it that just smacked of ignorance. But then, Sam knew in herself that a horse, any animal, could never truly be tamed. Taught to accept humans and even perform with them and for them yes, but an animal could never truly be tamed. At least not the way she gained the trust of an animal. She still remembered all those years ago when she was learning the basics of riding and she had asked Dallas, the River Bend foreman, why an animal as smart and wonderful and big as a horse would deem to carry a human around on it's back and take orders from a human.

And she remembered that he had told her that a horse would only stand for it for so long unless a rider showed trust in their horse and in their own ability that the directions a person gave a horse were for the best. Any rifts in that trust and the horse would throw a rider in less time than butterin' toast took.

Sam hoped that someday Forster could be a name that held the respect and admiration of folks from miles around, not just because of family values and quality cattle, but for the training of horses.

"You keep day dreamin' like that and you're horse is gonna throw ya." That low voice said from somewhere near her knee.

Snapping out of her wayward thoughts Sam glanced down into the upturned mahogany face or her oldest friend Jake Ely. She wore that lazy tom cat smile of his and Sam couldn't help the smug satisfaction when she realised that it bothered Jake that she'd perfected his poker face.

"Well now maybe Frost is used to my day dreamin', maybe she approves." Sam murmured, grinning down at Jake. She knew it was dangerous to daydream whilst in the saddle. The horse could always sense a rider's wandering mind and almost every horse would take advantage of such rudeness. Sam had noticed though, that Frost was one of the few horses that didn't, perhaps because her previous owner had been a little old widow woman. But no matter how her mind might wander whilst astride Frost, Sam had never once been tested by the mare. If Sam's mind turned to other things while she worked, Frost merely followed the vague instructions Sam gave her. In times when Sam became completely distracted and forgot to guide the mare, Frost simply kept following the last instruction she'd been given.

She truly was an angel of a horse and Sam was loathe to sell Frost. But rules were rules, and Sam knew that if she wanted to save any more horses from the auction yards in Mineral, and from the awful meat packer man with his clipboard that bought horses and burros for dog meat, that she couldn't keep every animal she saved. Otherwise the ranch would go broke and Dad would probably have a stroke from the stress of it.

Sometimes she wished though. Late at night when she was at the river and the Phantom came to meet her in all his majestic and magnificent glory there was an ache under her breast bone that had Sam wishing that she could save the lives of all the horses the BLM had to round up, and all the animals shipped off to the auction yards. The logical part of her mind knew that many of the horses in auction yards had been domesticated all their lives and that they couldn't survive the life of a mustang. But there under her breast bone, that ache niggled her with the thought that all horses should be allowed the opportunity to live the glorious life of a mustang. To run in a wild band across the Playa. Part of Sam had always wished that every horse could be as free and as spectacular in freedom as the Phantom and his herd.

Sam could only assume that she wore a wistful expression when she felt Jake's warm hand rest on her demin clad thigh.

"You got the biggest heart in the world Brat" Jake told her softly, tilting his head so that she could see those wild mustang eyes "But you know that we can't keep 'em all."

Sam stared down at Jake, drinking in the tender expression he wore on his handsome face. A man of so few words, Jake Ely always managed to rock her entire universe when he used them.

"Naw, it's ain't a huge heart Jake, just a real soft one. I can't help lovin' wild things, and I've never felt the need to try helpin' it." Sam told him softly.

For a moment, Sam was reminded of the way Jake looked at seventeen in the lead up to the storm that had broken his leg. The way those wild brown eyes that simply gleamed with spirit and intelligence and playfulness, and that long black mane of hair tossing in the wind like a wild stallions. Jake was a shy man. He always had been. But Sam knew that he had a wild spirit. She knew without him telling her that the reason he intended to never leave their home again was because like the wild stallion she loved so much Jake lived to wander the range. In his soul Jacob Ely was just as wild and as majestic in freedom as her beloved Phantom, as stars Sam loved him for it.

"Would a Samantha Forster report to the main arena? A Samantha Forster." A reedy voice shouted over the speakers of the showground. Sam blinked down at Jake, knowing she needed to go.

"Go on Brat, get out there and show us all what ya got." Jake said, smiling at her encouragingly. Sam grinned at him and tipped her hat. She had even begun to trot way on Frost when she glanced back at Jake and met his eyes before reining Frost to a halt.

"Hey Jake?" She said softly, while he watched her carefully at the tone of her voice. When she waited for a response Jake raised his eyebrows in question. "We?" she murmured.

Sam watched Jake's head dip over a small smile as he strode toward her and Frost. When he stood next to them Jake reached up and took hold of Sam's shoulder, using his gentle but firm grip on her to pull her down so that their faces were inches apart.

"Yeah Brat, we." He said. He looked shy but determined, Sam noticed, moments before her eyes slid closed as Jake's soft lips swept gently against her. His lips moved against hers in a chaste kiss and Sam could feel her head begin to swim from the tingles shooting through her entire body at the sweet contact. The saddle horn was digging into her stomach and they were in the middle of a crowded area in Reno, but Sam didn't care about any of that as her free hand slid around the back of Jake's neck, tangling into the silky hair at his nape.

Slowly Jake pulled back from her, and Sam could feel the protest on her lips even as she opened her eyes. But before she could utter it, Sam heard something that stopped her. It was the voice of a young girl.

"Mama, someday I'm gonna be in love like that. I'm gonna find me a cowboy who'll kiss me even when I'm ridin' my pony in a rodeo and sittin' in the middle of a crowd in the saddle. You see if I don't."

Sam watched Jake blush crimson beneath his mahogany skin before he stepped back, dipping his hat real low so his face was entirely in shadow. Grinning like a fool Sam looked around for the voice before spotting a little girl watching them with a satisfied look on her face. She was maybe eight years old, and she wore her long blonde hair in two plaits one either side of her face, just like Jen did. She wore jeans with a fresh rip in the knee and a pink pearl snap shirt. A brown hat sat easily on her head and she lead a pony the colour of a bright copper kettle. The hand that didn't hold her reins was wrapped into her mothers, a woman who smiled adoringly at her daughter.

Sam smiled at the little girl even as her name was called over the loudspeakers again.

"Samantha Forster this is your last call to report to the main arena. Last call Samantha Forster!"

"Sam you gotta go." Jake said gruffly.

Just as Sam reined Frost in and nudged her into a trot Sam heard the little girl's voice again

"Samantha Forster. I'm gonna be just like her someday Mama."

When Sam reined Frost to a stop in front of the gate to the arena, She glanced at the woman sitting at a table checking off names.

"Samantha Forster, ma'am." She said.

"Forster, We've been calling you for the last ten minutes. You're supposed to be back there in the shoots. Get on now as quick as you can. The cutting's about to start.

Sam tried not to feel claustrophobic as the men at the shoots closed her into gate number three. Frost was alert but steady beneath her. she could see the grew of unruly steers out in the large corral where they would be showing off there skills. Sam heard the whistle as she took a deep breath. The gate flew open and Frost lunged out into the corral. The steers before her were scattered and separated and Frost was having none of it. Sam smiled as her horse burst into a lope that startled a few steers into bunching together. Sitting deep in the saddle, Sam allowed her horse to do what she'd been trained to do, herding the cattle into a group. Years of experience had taught Frost that the cattle must move in a herd. But here Sam needed to ct out one of the steers from the rest of the group and Sam knew it went against instinct of horse, steer and rider because a lone animal was prey.

Eyes scanning quickly Sam found the animal she was supposed to cut out of the herd. He was runty. Great, just what she needed. Runty steers had always bee the most difficult in her opinion. There was something about them that just bawled of having a massive chip on their shoulder. And they were defiant. Nudging Frost forward Sam set her sights on only that animal, channelling the information to Frost.

Sam knew the minute Frost understood what she was being asked. On cattle drives the mare had been taught to hold the mob together, but in the corrals at River Bend she had earned that sometimes the animals needed to be separated from the mob. As Sam closed in on the runty little steer she noticed everything about him. One of his ears had been marked the old fashioned way, rather than using a more modern ear tag, the runty steer had been marked in the same style of cattle marking that the Ely's used at Three Ponies Ranch, cutting away a piece of the ear in a distinct shape. The runts, ear had been altered so that the bottom curve of his ear looked like a child's drawing of a distant bird in a vague obtuse shaped M. She noticed the way his eyes rolled, showing the whites, and the way he had one horn longer than the other.

He realised that the frightful terrifying creature was bearing down upon him and the runty black calf made his first mistake, instead of trying to stick with the herd for protection, he bolted away from the monster that Sam and Frost clearly made. As soon as he dashed away from the largest portion of the herd Sam knew she had him. Because he may have that runty stubbornness that had him kicking up dust like a bull about to charge, and the bawl of mother cow who knows you're trying to steal her baby, but Frost had faced down tougher and more intimidating specimens. Not to mention that Sam had that mile long Forster stubborn streak that wouldn't allow for mistakes here.

Moving like the cutting horse she was, Frost swerved left and right, blocking the runt at every turn. When he knew he wasn't going to get past by trying to flee, the little runt showed that in spite of being a steer he still had stones for courage, he lowered his head, watching horse and rider, front hoof kicking up dust far more ferociously now because he meant to charge them for his freedom. Sam grinned and Frost snaked her head forward in the herding motion she had seen the Phantom use on unruly foals and stubborn mares. The poor little runt was terrified at such a sight, and clearly at the idea that Frost coming close could mean disaster for him, instead he spun right on his heels and lifted his tail, fleeing like a calf. Fleeing right into the waiting open corral where Sam was suppose to herd him to complete the event.

Frost trotted a few steps after him to make sure he was where he should be, but as the Gate slammed closed locking him away Sam smiled happily. They'd done it, and without a single mistake.

"Well done Baby" Sam said softly, rubbing her hand under Frost's glittery silver-blue mane.

As they trotted out of the corral together, Sam heard her score being read out. She'd completed the event without any mistakes in less than twenty seconds and for that she earned the highest score of the day so far. Sam knew it would be a hard score to beat.

Jake waited for her by the trailer when she reached it. He leant back against it, his hat tipped down over his eyes and the wooden stick from a toffee apple or perhaps cotton candy hung from his mouth as he worried it with his teeth. He looked the part of nonchalance but Sam knew he'd been watching her every move in the event. The fact that he stood there as he did, rather than with his hat up, his arms crossed and his face closed off meant that he thought she'd done a good job.

Smirking just a little Sam swung her leg over and landed on her own two feet next to Frost. Cross tying Frost to the trailer, Sam set about loosening the birth on the saddle, giving Frost a snack and brushing down the flesh not under the saddle. When she glanced over the mare's back, while brushing her blue roan neck, Sam found Jake's eyes watching her. He didn't say anything, didn't change his odd expression either.

"Whatcha starin' at cowboy?" Sam asked Jake.

"Girl I knew would be dancin' from foot to foot waiting to hear what she did wrong and right." Jake said in that low voice.

Sam watched him for a moment before setting the brush aside and ducking under Frost's neck so that she and Jake stood the same side of the horse.

"Girl you knew went lookin' for that approval and found it missin' too many times." She replied.

For a fleeting moment Jake looked sad.

"Look Jake, I'm not the kid you left behind. I'm not the whiny brat that needed approval from everyone and took every teasing word from you as a dare. I heard Gram last week when Dad asked her when I grew up. And she was right. I was training Tempest and I had some ideas about how to do it. We'd been working on it together before you left, and she was doing great, but she got this habit of refusing the bit, and when I'd actually get it in her mouth, she'd chew at it and gnaw on it and roll it against her tongue because she hated it. I'd been thinking about it overnight and I came up with the idea that maybe if I coated it n something sweet like honey before putting it in her mouth, she might take to it a little better. But I wanted your opinion. Because in my sleep deprived state I temporarily forgot that you'd left, that we'd broken up, that I couldn't even call you to ask you about it because you refused to take my calls for an entire year. I searched the barn and the corrals and the pasture for you when I got up because I'd gotten so used to you bein' at River Bend that it was just a habit. I was sure you were somewhere on the ranch."

Sam told him. Jake's expression was blank as he listened and kept his true feelings from her.

"Anyway, I got impatient and went back into the kitchen and asked Gram if she knew where you were 'cause I needed to ask you something... The way she looked at me Jake... She stared at me, stunned, for about a minute. Because the day you left I stopped sayin' your name. And there I was, a months or so after you'd left and broken up with me, standing in the kitchen askin' Gram where you were like I thought maybe you just hadn't come over yet. She stared at me and I could see that she thought I'd cracked. Then real sweet she asked me what I meant 'cause you weren't at the ranch and had left for college a month before."

Jake looked slightly worried as Sam told him the story.

"Anyway, after that I remembered I couldn't just run to you with my idea. I stopped lookin' for approval that day. Because I can still see her face in my mind as she doubted my sanity and wondered if I was suffering latent effects of being kicked in the head years before. It was this look of morbidly fascinated horror." Sam explained "Actually it was kind of like the one you're giving me now."

Sam chuckled as Jake arranged his already stiff and black features into a frown.

"I don't like these stories." Jake said softly after Sam had sat down in the tray of her truck.

"You want me to stop tellin' 'em?" Sam asked him. "Suppose we should get on with bein' some kids idol couple huh?" She teased when Jake didn't respond. That earned her a snort.

"You blushed like a tomato with a sunburn." Jake said.

"Oh says you! You would've been beet red if your skin wasn't so dark that you can hide it better when you blush." Sam defended.

Jake watched her as he moved towards her, walking with the that stiff grace of a horseman that she had always admired. Nudging her over, Jake climbed into the tray of the truck next to her before leaning back on his hands and glancing up at the sky. For the first time Sam noticed the low hanging clouds, tight with rain.

"Storm's comin'" Jake murmured to her.

"Of course it is. Because my last event is the barrel race. And when that storm hits in a n hour they'll stop the events until it breaks. Then I'll have to barrel race in slippery ankle deep mud and pray neither of us break our necks."

"Naw." Jake disagreed "the Barrels are the last event of the day. They won't hold 'em in the mud. Too much liability if something happens. They'll postpone it 'til tomorrow."

"Excuse me, Samantha Forster?" a woman enquired from near the trailer. Sam's eyes swivelled away from the clouds to look at the black haired woman she looked to be in her forties. Behind her was a man Sam recognised. The man who'd bought Honey.

"That's me." Sam said, hopping out of the truck.

"Oh good, we weren't positive it was you, but we were hoping. I'm Martina Malahov. Henry said he spoke to you about a horse for my son?" She said, holding her hand out for Sam to shake.

"That's right." Sam said, shaking her hand "This is Jake Ely." She added, waving a hand towards Jake where he stood looking uncomfostable.

"Samantha, It's good to see you again. I hope you've been well?" Mr. Henry Noles greeted her cheerily, bouncing forward to shake her hand.

"Hi Mr. Noles. I've been well, thank you. And you?"

"Can't complain Sam. Certainly can't complain. Especially about that mare you sold me. Tasha just loves her to pieces and she's never given us a spot of trouble. You must have a way." He said jovially.

"I don't know about that." Sam said modestly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Come now Samantha, there is no need for modesty, I've seen Honey in action and she's just divine. When I spoke to Henry about her he told me he'd ought her from you. I have a son, a six year old. Up until now I've had him on a ten hand pony, but he's been begging me for a bigger horse. He's coming home next week and I thought I'd surprise him. The thing is, he loves horses, but he's still not the best rider. I'm hoping to find a horse that can tolerate a six year old boy with a few concentration issues. I want one that's safe and reliable. I need to know that if Todd falls off the horse won't run away. That if he's in the stall alone he won't be trampled or kicked or any of those horrible scenarios. Henry told me about Honey and she's just an angel I've watched little Tasha climb all over that mare, running under her stomach and between her legs and Honey just waits patiently. I had to know where she came from and where I could get ahold of a horse just like her." Martina Malahov said in a rush.

Sam smiled.

"Well now, I think you might have come to the right place. I brought Frost along today, did you see the cutting?" Sam said

"Oh we did, you won the event on the mare. She was fantastic, the two of you worked together like you were one being rather than two." Mr. Noles said, bouncing happily again.

"Wait, I won? Are you sure?" Sam asked then, suddenly stumped.

"Yes it was announced a few minutes before we found you."

Sam swallowed her pleased smile in an attempt not to jump for joy.

"Oh. Well mostly it was Frost. She's an amazing horse. And you mentione that you were worried your Son, Todd was it? That he might daydream a little wile riding?" Sam asked

"Yes, he's a bit of a dreamer I'm afraid. He's been thrown off his pony plenty of time because he forgets to pay attention. I don't want to make him a lazy rider, but after he broker his arm last time I was hoping I could maybe find an animal less testing."

"The good news is that Frost is perfect for that. I'm a dreamer myself and my little mustang Ace loves to call me on it. But Frost is completely tolerant. She seems to enjoy it actually. Before me she was owned by an elderly widow and I think the woman may have had a wandering mind when she rode. Frost is really well trained, so that if my mind wanders while I ride she'll just keep following vague directions or stop and wait for instructions."

"Oh that's just what I need." Mrs Malahov Said sounding excited.

"She's got a great temperament, though she had been awfully neglected when I bought her. the widow fell ill and passed away and her grandchildren had no use for horse. She was half starved when I saved her from the slaughter house." Sam said sadly

"Oh that's awful. But she's fine now. Healthy and strong?"

"Yes. I've had her a little over a year. The vet has seen to her many times, he got almost as attached as me when we were nursing her back to health. He still looks in on her, even when he calls in on other business. She's healthy as a horse." Sam said.

"Oh she's just wonderful." Mrs. Malahov said as she drifted over to Frost and met the mare, offering her hand for scent investigation before petting Frost lovingly. "Do you mind if I test ride her before I commit to anything?" She asked

"I'd be offended if you didn't" Sam said, smiling. "If you tighten her girth there, I'll untie her and you can try her out. There's a practice ring and warm up area just over there." Sam pointed.

Mr. Noles, Sam and Jake followed behind as Mrs. Malahov rode over to the ring and began testing the mare, she rode in figure eights, and backed her up and rode at a walk, trot lope then gallop.

When she finally rode back over to them her face was glowing and strained to contain her wide smile.

"Oh she's just such a delight to ride. She never hesitates to follow a direction and I feel completely safe on her back. I swayed a little in the saddle like I might fall and she rushed to keep herself beneath me and keep me in the saddle." Martina gushed happily.

Sam was smiling happily, but she startled a little when she felt Jake's hand wrap around her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. Sliding her eyes sideways she found Jake watching her, wearing a proud smile. Sam tried to ignore that funny tingling feeling in her stomach when she saw that proud smile on Jake's face, but the warmth of happiness spread over her and Sam smiled as widely as Martina Malahov.

"Now, let's talk business. I read the paperwork you faxed to me, so I know all about the mare. And I want to buy her. Now Henry told me how much he paid for Honey, and he mentioned that you want more for Frost than that. But before you tell me your asking price Samantha, I'm going to make you an offer." Martina said, dismounting and leading Frost as they all strode back to the trailer. When they were all there Martina spoke again.

"I understand that today you're entered into two more events, but by the looks of that sky I think at least the Barrel race will be cancel, we're going to get very wet here this afternoon and to be perfectly honest I want to be well on the way to home before that storm hits. Samantha it seems to me that you have a gift for working with horses. The two I've seen that you've trained, well they're nothing short of perfectly schooled ponies. They have manners, and in spite of their perfection as a working horse, you've somehow managed not to break the spirit of the horse with your training methods. That is a rare thing in today's world." Martina said.

"I'm a breeder Samantha. I breed stud horses for their beauty, many of them are racers, but there are some that I also breed purely for sale to private owners of a particularly high brow community. What I need, is someone like you who could train my horses into the perfect creatures that Honey and Frost are. I'd like for you to come and work for me."

Sam was overwhelmed by the offer. What would it be like to work in fancy stable where she could train horses all day and get paid to do it? But even as her mind drew fantastic images of the life she could have, another set of images barged their way into her mind.

Images of her brothers and her family, of Ace and Tempest and Popcorn, of the HARP program, of Jen and all her friends. Of the wide open range she loved so much. All of these things she loved swan through her mind before landing on the two things that warred for her heart yet both owned such large peices of it. In her mind the Phantom reared in the moonlight, pawing at the heavens as though daring them in a challenge before flicking his forelock at her and watching her with those intelligent brown eyes. And in front of her eyes stood the only boy she'd ever loved. The one who'd held her hand and played the male lead role in her life since before she could even open her eyes. Now Sam's eyes landed on Jake's handsome face. His jaw was clenched tight, and Sam knew he was warring with himself. Part of him wanted her to have this amazing opportunity, but another part of him wanted to stay in rural Nevada forever, riding the ranges with her at his side.

For mere moments Sam allowed herself the daydream of a life where she trained horses in a fancy stable. Bt those moments were enough. Because she didn't need a fancy stable and lots of purebred expensive horses in her life. No right here in Nevada on River Bend Ranch Sam had the world. She trained horses, she had her family and the place she loved, all of her friends, she had the mustangs playing in her world here. She had Jake. And she had the Phantom. And there was nothing in the world that could ever draw her away from this life. Absolutely nothing.

"Mrs. Malahov, that's an amazing offer, and I'm flattered. I really am. But just last week my Stepmother gave birth to my second brother. I have a four year old brother and a week old brother at home who need me. As well as my family and friends and my entire life right there on River Bend Ranch. I'd love the chance to train your horses, but I do the same thing here. Only here, the horses I train are also the horses I save from abuse and neglect and sometimes from a trail to the slaughter house, like Frost here." Sam said, noticing the way Jake head snapped up to stare at her with his mouth open "I appreciate the offer. I really do. But I have to say no."

Martina Malahov didn't look offended. She looked as though she understood.

"I knew it was a long shot anyway. But I had to ask, just in case I could tempt you. Well then Samantha, the offer will still stand, anytime you want a change of scenery you're welcome to come up. From what I understand you're a freelance journalist as well as a photographer. I did my research. Perhaps in a few moths you could visit Frost and land a Story at the same time. In the meantime, though I don't know you're asking price for Frost, I'm willing to pay this much. Tell me what you think?"

Sam reached out and took the slip of paper Martina Malahov handed her. Glancing down at the numbers written there Sam nearly swallowed her own tongue. That was a lot of money. Almost too much. If Frost weren't such an amazing animal in her prime Sam might have argued that she was being overpaid. But Frost was hard to let go of.

"Will that be acceptable?" Martina Malahov asked worriedly. "Stars I haven't offended you have I. Oh I just knew I should have offered more. I understand that she's an amazing horse, and her colouring is so hard to come by in such an intriguing pattern.

"Oh Mrs. Malahov no, this is plenty. I assure this will be fine. For this price I think I can be persuaded to part with her." Sam rushed to say. If there was one thing she didn't want to do it was rip off the woman. And it would be easy to do. But Sam was a girl of morals, and there was just something immoral about asking more than she was willing to pay when Sam was making such a massive profit as it was.

"Are you sure dear?"

"Yes. Not a penny more, I insist. Now let's get the papers signed over to you so that you're the legal owner shall we?" Sam said.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Jake holding himself entirely still to keep from twitching with curiosity at how much the woman had offered. But he refused to ask. Sam smiled that lazy tom cat smile at him before she got to signing the paperwork and kissing the velvety soft nose of Frost once last time.

The sky cracked open with a boom as Martina Malahov led Frost away and Sam and Jake hurried to fasten everything on the trailer down before climbing into the truck cab.

"Sam there is no way we're driving home in this." Jake shouted over the pounding rain and a strange rapping sound.

"What else is there?" Sam shouted back.

"I saw the news this morning, this storm is going to be a bad one. And that sound is hail. It's supposed to get to the size of baseballs. We need somewhere with covered over parking, and since it's supposed to storm until tomorrow, probably a motel room."

Sam stared at Jake. Surely he hadn't just told her that they would be stuck in Reno until tomorrow. But he had. The shy cowboy had actually just told her they would have to get a motel room and stay the night. Just the two of them. Overnight. In a motel room together. With no chance that they could be caught kissing or anything. Gram was a Methodist for lands sakes! She'd kill them both if she thought they even seen each other naked before marriage. Kissing was pushing it as far as Gram was concerned.

Turing the dial on the car radio Sam listened as the news station clicked in and out, some news person confirming Jake's words and insisting people hole up overnight away from the gale force winds on their way and massive hail.

Gulping Sam turned up the volume on the two way raido that allowed her to talk to people via the ranch radio from her car since she didn't have a cell phone.

"Gram? Dad? Brynna?" Sa yelled into the radio. There was static for several minutes before Sam heard Dad's voice.

"Sam? Are you kids alright?"

"The Storm" Sam yelled back.

"It hit you too. It's in for the long haul Sam. You two need to find somewhere to stay out of the weather and the damage. Overnight if you have to!"

Dad said something else as well, but Sam didn't catch it because the hail grew louder and the wind outside picked up and the connection between their radios gave out.

Sam looked over at Jake, But he was already shifting the truck into gear and getting it moving. Driving so slow it would be faster to walk, Jake joined the line of traffic leaving the showground and steered Sam's truck and trailer through the streets of Reno until he found a cheap motel with vacancy and huge covered parking spaces. It was a truck stop Sam knew, so it wasn't exactly going to be fancy, but it meant that her truck and the horse trailer wouldn't be damaged.

Checking in had been the easier part, Sam decided when her hands shook as she tried to get the room key into the lock of the motel room.

Sam had no idea why she was terrified. She was with Jake. The only person who made her feel safer was Dad. Jake would keep her safe, in spite of the roaring wind that threatened to tear the roof away and the hail that threatened to cave the roof in. Behind her Jake carried the emergency overnight bag she always carried in her car. It had enough clothing in it for her, and her whole family to at least have something more comfortable than jeans to sleep in and to have dry clothes. Which they needed because running between the undercover parking and the reception office had drenched both Sam and Jake.

Sam sighed in relief when she finally got the key in the lock and unlocked the door. Rushing inside, Sam slammed the door behind Jake. But even inside out of the raging weather Sam couldn't calm down, couldn't feel safe.

Why was she freaking out? Sam snorted at herself, she was freaking out because she and Jake weren't kids anymore, or even terrified teenagers. Now they were grown adults who understood all the working of those birds and bees and they were spending the night all alone with no supervision and no chance of ever being caught or interrupted. And because it felt like her entire body was going haywire. She was all tingly and hot and quivering and completely in love with Jake.

Taking a deep steadying breath in Sam turned away from the closed door, towards the room and Jake. She even had every intention of inspecting the motel room. But she didn't really get there. Because when Sam turned around her gaze landed on a dripping wet Jake Ely. Her boyfriend Jake Ely.

The Jake Ely watching her with such possessive, scorching heat that Sam could feel his hunger for her.


	20. Cowboys and Kisses

**A/N: Ok so the cliff hanger drove me mad too and i just couldn't stop writing. depending on how keen i get this may the last chapter until the new year, but as the next two are already written it probably won't be =) Merry Christmas my dear Cherubs. Pretty please review, even if you hate this chapter, please let me know, also keep in mind that Wild Things is rated T. Much Love xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 20: Cowboys and Kisses.

Sam dropped the door key when she turned around. The raw hunger in Jake's brown eyes sent her already zinging nerves ricocheting into overdrive. He'd taken off his hat as he ran so that the wind couldn't steal it, and his long black hair had blown loose of the leather thong he used to tame it. It hung around his face, framing his strong jaw and sharp cheekbones. And those eyes. Mustang eyes. His soaked red t-shirt moulded to his work toned chest in a way that had Sam biting her lip.

Sam fought to keep the squeak out of her voice as she said "Um... I call first shower." Moving quickly she pounced on the bag he'd carried, opening it and digging around for dry clothing. Jake still watched her, especially now that she was so much closer, if she held out her arm she would touch him. And her whole body was tingling with anticipation for her to do just that. But Sam knew that if she touched him she would come completely undone. Because the tingling within her demanded, ached for him to touch her, she yearned for the feeling of having him kiss her the way he had the night he'd come back. With such intense passion and such feeling that she felt like her whole world was being rocked.

"You ok Brat?" Jake asked her. His voice was husky, but he must have noticed the panicked look in her eyes and the nervous way her hands shook and the way she kept dropping things. Because she'd just dropped her clean dry clothing. She was incredibly aware of him. Of everything about Jake, of the tiny distance that separated them, the way his fists kept clenching like he wanted to say something or reach out and touch her, the way the wet denim of his jeans squealed as he shifted from foot to foot like a tiger pacing in a cage or like a mustang trapped in a corral and it made Sam even more nervous.

"Yep." Sam squeaked at him. She had to escape to the bathroom before she caved, because Sam wasn't entirely certain of where they might end up if they touched at all just now. Or if she even made eye contact with him, with those hypnotic mustang eyes that drew her in and held her hostage in their golden brown depths. Forcing herself not to run, but doing a poor job of it, Sam practically sprinted for the bathroom and slammed the door without meeting those mustang eyes again.

Shaking even as she stripped off her wet clothes Sam left them on the floor and climbed into the shower, pulling the curtain closed and creating another barrier between herself and the man she loved. Sakes it was going to be a long night if she couldn't control that stampede in her chest as her heart hammered out an uneven beat. It was going to be even longer knowing that she was trapped in this tiny little motel room all alone with the one man she didn't trust herself with.

She trusted Jake, trusted that he would never put her in a situation where she might be uncomfortable. But she didn't trust herself because she wanted to be in a position with Jake Ely where there was nothing standing between them and forever. Since last week Sam had been fixating on one particular thing in her dreams. It was image that she'd seen almost every night since she and Jake had become a couple again.

In it were all of her favourite horse, even the Phantom. And all the people she loved were present, her family and Jake's family and the hands. Sam was unsure of the setting, the details of her surroundings in the dream mostly blurred except for familiar faces, but the most prominent face n that dream was Jake's, giving her that special look that he rarely wore. The one that burned from within him with love and happiness and desire as he looked at her, looked up at her from where he knelt on one knee.

She was midway through shampooing her hair and lost in thought when she heard it. A loud knock at the door, loud to be heard over the hammering of the hail on the roof.

"Sam, don't freak out ok?" Jake's voice called "The only sink is in here and if I don't wring out these wet clothes the whole room will be damp. I'm coming in so I can dry them ok?" Sam was surprised that he had explained. In times past he probably would have just come in and told her he wasn't looking. And it made her nervous that he felt the need to explain. Because when Jake felt the need to explain it, it meant that he was looking for a legitimate reason for his actions, but that he'd found plenty of less than legitimate ones.

Sam panicked as she heard the chime of his spurs and thud of each booted step as Jake came into the bathroom with her. She was standing completely naked, with shampoo trying to get into her eyes, while the man she loved explained his actions for now being only one flimsy little pink shower curtain away from her.

Why was she so panicked? Sam tried to reason with herself. This was Jake. Her Jake. Just last week they'd been skinny dipping naked in the La Charla. They'd even kissed intensely while naked and wrapped around each other in the river. And then kissed some more, dressed and slept side by side in the barn. Why was she making a big deal out of having to spend the night in a motel room with Jake? He was her best buddy, her life-long friend and torment, he was the person she'd gone to for help so often, he was the man she'd been dreaming of spending her life with since she was fifteen years old. She loved him or lands sake. She had no reason to be freaking out about having to spend one night alone in a motel room with her boyfriend.

Sam chuckled, maybe she was making a big deal about it because her mind kept pointing out that being in a motel room all alone, just the two of them, was something that would happen on a honey moon and everyone knew that honey moons were all about the physical expression of love for each other. And here they were in a motel room. And in love.

The hail on the roof hammered loudly, but it was dulled in here. She could hear the jingle of Jake's spurs as he moved within the bathroom, just beyond the shower curtain. When Sam heard the sound of water being rung out of something, she couldn't resist peeking at Jake. Fiddling with the shower curtain the tiniest bit, Sam shifted it so that she could see a thin sliver of the room beyond. So that she could see a shirtless Jake Ely, his hard muscles rippling as he wrung out his wet shirt in the bathroom sink. Sam bit her lip as the tingling in her entire body intensified. She longed to run her fingers along the contours of his chest and tight stomach muscles, longed to press a line of burning kisses along his sharp collar bone. Stars she was burning up. The water was too warm for her heated body. She had to get out. Now.

"Jake?" Sam asked softly, well aware of the husky quality in her voice.

"Sam?" Jake asked worriedly. He might just be going insane, Jake though. Because his mind was suggesting he do things that no unmarried man should be doing. He was actuely aware of that fact that only a thin shower curtain stood in between him and the one thing he wanted more than anything else in the world. Sam's voice was husky when she spoke to him and Jake almost groaned at the idea of her wanting him as much as he wanted her. Jake tensed himself, hoping Sam wouldn't do something crazy like open the curtain or invite him to join her in the shower. He wasn't certain he had the will power to resist such things.

"Could you turn away? I have to get out" Sam's voice came again from within the shower. It was still husky, and there was an odd quality to it, as though she didn't agree with the request coming out of her mouth.

Peeking through the curtain Sam watched Jake turn his back to her so she could get out of the shower. When she had a towel wrapped around her Sam spoke again.

"Ok... um... shower's all yours." Sam said. She had just begun to turn towards the door when Jake turned around and groaned softly. Spinning back Sam's eyes landed on his face.

Jake's eyes were staring at the tiny towel she wore. The hunger burned in his features now and when he let his eyes slide over her, Sam felt it like a caress, leaving a trail of gooseflesh in its wake. Jake's hands were clenched into fists at his sides, as though he fought the urge to reach out and touch her, to pull the towel off her, to bare her body to his hungry gaze. Sam wondered if his hands itched the way hers did. Because they itched and shook with wanting to reach out and run across his smooth skin. Sam watched, captivated as Jake took a small step closer to her, his eyes glided across her figure and Sam wondered how much his imagination allowed him to see. After all he'd seen her naked before, though it had been beneath the dim glow of moonlight, rather than the bright LED lights of a motel bathroom.

"Jake..." Sam began, not really sure how she wanted to continue. Her eyes travelled across his lithe, broad shouldered form. He was shirtless now, but still wore his wet blue jeans; his Indian black hair had begun to dry but still dripped an occasional drop onto his chest. Beneath the bright lights Jake's Shoshone Indian skin looked much darker than usual, he looked exotic and with that heat in his eyes and his mahogany skin.

Jake's hands clenched tighter and tighter and he held his whole body tense and rigid as he stared at Sam in that fluffy white towel. Her auburn hair hung down her back, but strands of it had fallen forwards to frame her face. Never in his life had Jake seen anything so beautiful. Her heart shaped face was slightly flushed, and those sparkling blue eyes gleamed with desire as she stared at him. With no control from his speechless mind, Jake's eyes travelled across her tanned skin. She looked even more tanned in contrast to the bright white bath towel, and Jake's hand burned to run across her smooth, silky skin as he eyes did. She was still skinny, as though she didn't eat enough, but Jake knew it wasn't from lack of food, just an abundance of hard work that kept her thinner than the wet weasel he'd accused her of being when she was thirteen.

Her collar bones stuck out, he shoulders where strong and her tan arms showed strength and toned definition from the work she did, hauling heavy Western saddles and roping and training horses. The towel she wore pulled tight across her chest, though it barely reached around the evidence that she was no longer a flat-chested teenager. It dipped in at her narrow waist and bloomed out again and her wide hips. The towel barely reached mid-thigh and the long toned legs that poked out from beneath it bought images to Jake's mind of what she could do with them that almost made him whimper with longing.

As Sam's eyes scanned across the tight muscles of Jake's stomach and chest, movement caught her eyes. A tiny droplet of water had dropped out of Jake's hair and begun to roll down his chest. Sam's eyes followed that droplet as it rolled down until it slid across a fist sized dark patch against Jake's mahogany flesh.

Here in this bright light, Sam could finally make out the image of Jake's tattoo. And what she saw had Sam biting her lip to keep her mouth from falling open in disbelief. Sam didn't know how she had missed it before, even in moonlight, because Jake's tattoo was an image that was forever in her mind. There on Jake's chest, right above his heart was a tattoo version of the photograph she had taken of the Phantom as he reared in the moonlight and taunted the stars with his freedom and his spirit.

Sam's eyes were wide as she stared. The relationship between Jake and the Phantom had always been rocky, mostly because Jake still blamed the Phantom for Sam's accident and the Phantom viewed Jake as a challenging stallion, trying to steal away his only human girl. But Sam knew Jake held respect for the magnificent stallion. Just as Sam wondered how Jake had gotten hold of a copy of the photograph from her room, Sam noticed something else within Jake's tattoo. Below the line of land that the Phantom reared upon was some intricate writing. It said just one word and Sam heard herself squeak as she read it.

It was her name. There on Jake's chest, beneath her stallion were the loopy letters that made up the word SAMANTHA.

Jake watched Sam's face as it morphed from nervousness and panic and heated passion, to wonder and confusion as she stared at him. For just a moment he wondered why but when he followed her line of sight to the tattoo on his chest he understood. The night he'd turned twenty-one and Darrel and Brandon had gotten him so incredibly drunk, Jake had woken up with a tattoo. He had been unsurprised when he'd looked down at his chest through the splitting pain in his head and made out the image of that gray stud that Sam had entered into a photography competition. He had been surprised when he'd seen her name written there as well. He loved her. He knew he did. But he was still surprised that he had chosen to actually get her name tattooed above his heart. Even if it did belong to her.

He'd come to love that tattoo though. And he'd never once regretted getting it. If he died an old man, alone and without Sam, he still wouldn't regret the tattoo with her name in it.

"Jake?" Sam breathed in disbelief. "You got my name tattooed on?"

Jake watched her face. She looked confused and surprised and uncertain.

"Brat" he murmured back to her.

"We weren't even together and you got my name tattooed onto your skin?" suddenly Sam seemed to rediscover her voice. Her true voice. Before his eyes Jake watched the hot headed, stubborn, big hearted girl his Samantha used to be, emerge from within that distanced, drawling cowgirl shell.

"Are you an idiot? What if I had gone away to college and found someone else Jake? Why would you ever get my name tattooed on? You hate tattoos. Especially tattoos like that where a person gets someone else's name." Sam seemed to forget that she was wearing just a small bath towel as she stepped into him and pushed him a little.

Jake just gave her that lazy tom cat smile. Hiding his happiness as the real Sam resurfaced. Sam could feel herself cracking. She could feel the way the mental walls she had built were beginning to crumble. They had already begun to decay over this week, having Jake back, but now they simply crumbled and fell away, leaving her that same sassy quick witted, hot-headed, stubborn brat she had always been. And it was evident in the way she loosed a frustrated screech at his expression.

"Jake why would you do that?" she demanded angrily crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her bare foot against the tiles.

Jake's mustang eyes smiled at her warmly

"There's the girl I left behind" he murmured down at her, bringing his hand up to brush it against Sam's cheek. Sam gritted her teeth at the way her flesh went goose pimpled at the way he spoke tenderly as he touched her so sweetly. She wanted to hear a real answer from him more than she cared about having broken her facade.

"You don't listen at all when I talk, Brat." Jake told Sam, smiling down at her. Jake was beaming but he didn't care. Not when that frustrating, stubborn, beautiful personality was finally out and on display again

Stars she was beautiful when she scowled at him like that, wearing nothing but a fluffy white towel, her long auburn hair hanging down her back, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. Except for the towel, it was one of the sights Jake had missed more than anything while he was away, because he knew he infuriated her. He also knew that sometimes he did it on purpose because he just loved the way she tapped her foot and stared him down like a stubborn mule. It was even better when she got really mad and pointed her finger at him and told him that she could strangle him for his attitude. It might just be his favourite expression on Sam. That and the expression when her eyes gleamed with mischief and she wore a wicked smiled before she kissed him. though nothing could ever beat the expression on her when she was flying high from the happiness and pure awe and elation when she rode that wild gray stud.

"Don't listen? Well cowboy get to talkin' and we'll just see." Sam demanded.

Jake chuckled a little, "You don't listen and you know it 'cause if you listened you'd know why I got this."

"All I know is you told me Darrel got you drunk for your twenty-first and you woke up with a tattoo. What I don't know is how or why you decided to get one with a picture of the Phantom and my name. We weren't together. As far as I knew you didn't even want my friendship anymore. But you got my name tattooed onto your skin, right above your heart?"

Sam watched Jake sigh at her as though he had to reach for patience to tolerate her. It made her eyes narrow.

"I knew you didn't listen." He shook his head sadly "Sam, I told you the other day. I'm in love with you. I have been since I was seventeen. Remember I said that? You might also recall I told you that at eighteen I almost bailed on college in favour of proposing to a fifteen year old you. That I knew then that I wanted you forever. That ain't changed."

Sam stared at Jake. How did he keep doing this to her? Every time he spoke he picked words that threw her off balance.

"And since you hadn't told me that, had just driven off and broken my heart, what would you have done if I had gone to college myself and found someone else?" Sam asked him.

Jake rubbed the back of his neck.

"Probably spent the rest of my life tryin' to change your mind, or been alone." He murmured.

Sam saw him blush as Jake stepped around her, not meeting her gaze as he left the bathroom. Still ignoring that fact that she only wore a towel Sam followed him.

"Jake?" Sam whispered. He'd done it again, simple and few words he may utter, but every damned one of them changed her life and planted another bar around her heart, keeping it Jake's forever.

"Jake, you were worried about that weren't you?" Sam asked him softly. Slowly Jake turned around again to look at her. His brown eyes held her blue ones but he just stared at her, his pride keeping him to stubborn to admit anymore, and his heart refusing to let him lie to her. Slowly Sam smiled at him, she knew the answer. "Bet you were worried about it today when Mrs. Malahov offered me that job, huh?"

Jake looked slightly tormented at her words and Sam couldn't help smiling at him.

"Job like that, thought you'd jump at it." He said.

"And you accuse me of not listening." Sam teased "I heard you when you said you were never leaving home again. I may have given her reasons about Cody and Charlie, but they were only part of it. It's rude to tell a recently divorced woman that the real reason for turnin' down an offer like that was to stay where I could see my boyfriend every day."

Jake looked stunned at her words. And before he had the chance to recover, Sam stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his narrow waist and laid her head against his bare chest. She felt Jake go tense and smiled to herself, even as he hugged her back.

"Brat" Jake murmured to her, feeling the hearts her fingers drew against his skin.

"Hmm?" she hummed questioningly, eyes closed as she listened to his heart beat hammering in his chest under her ear.

"You know you're only wearin' a towel right?" his voice was husky and Sam grinned. Her panic from earlier was completely gone, her body was still sizzling with heat and need and desire but now that his arms were around her Sam felt only happiness and love and like she wanted him forever.

"That botherin' you cowboy?" Sam teased him, hearing his breath catch at the huskiness of her voice. He went tense again when Sam pressed a tender kiss to his collar bone.

"Samantha." He cautioned her when Sam pressed another kiss to his skin, this time against his neck. She could feel how much he wanted her and Sam just couldn't stop grinning.

"I should shower." Jake's voice was strained as he said those words but Sam knew that he was fighting for control in an attempt to keep from doing something that may result in things only married people should do. Sam heard her sultry laugh at his words. When she pulled her face back from him, leaning back and holding onto his hips as she looked u into Jake's face, Sam smiled at him. His eyes were wild when he met her gaze, and they kept wandering to her lips. His hands on her lower back hand tightened into fists around the material of her towel and Sam knew that only a few millimetres of fabric held the towel around her now.

The hail on the roof kept pounding, louder than before and the wind howled wildly outside their motel room, but Sam just smiled up at Jake as the yearning to kiss him washed over her with such intensity that her knees almost buckled. Slowly, his eyes begging her permission, Jake lowered his face until his lips hovered just millimetres above Sam's.

Sam heard the begging moan of her voice as she said his name.

Jake gave her that tiny smile of his that he wore when he was pleased about something, his mustang eyes alluring depths where Sam lost herself seconds before Jake closed the distance between them.

Silky lips met with feather light pressure and Sam felt her eyes slide closed at the pleasure flooding her body. Kissing Jake was one of the best feelings in the world, Sam thought. Especially when his tongue slid out to sweep against hers deliberately. Like everything he did in life, Jake's movements were slow and deliberate and practically perfect. Sam could feel her toes curling even as her hands slid across the muscles in his back and shoulders, and up into his wet hair.

She could feel the millimetres of fabric hiding her nakedness begin to slip when Jake's hand tightened possessively at her lower back. His other arm wrapped around her back and his hand toyed with her hair. Sam's heart raced in her chest as the towel slipped a little further. Jake's lips moved against hers with increased pressure spurring her into a frenzy as her overwrought senses gave in to the sweet feeling of his lips and his tongue.

Sam could hear her own whimper as she kissed him harder, kissing him like she could never get enough of him. Stars, she wanted him. Wanted him in ways that Gram would completely disapprove of. She felt Jake's arms tighten again and Sam squeaked as the fabric of the towel let go, unwinding from around her until she stood completely naked, pressed against Jake's warm body.

Jake stopped kissing her when he realised that his hand was enveloped in her towel and that the bare flesh of her torso was pressed against his.

"Shoot." He cursed. His voice was husky and Sam knew her eyes were wide as she felt Jake's warm arms around her naked form.

"You're naked." Jake whispered. He sounded... wondering. As though he knew he should be worried about that fact that he gotten her naked, but was far more curious than worried.

"You know, Gram would murder both of us if she found out about this. She's a Methodist. She disapproves of kissing." Sam told Jake. Still pressed against him in spite of being naked. Sam was terrified to let him go and step back from him, but a small part of her itched to do just that. Of course that part of her also itched to lure him into nakedness as well, and then into bed with her.

When Jake realised that Sam's towel had unravelled from around her, he had to swallow hard. The feel of her warm and naked against him was driving him completely insane. Because he wanted to do so much more than kiss her. He wanted to run his hands over every inch of her, every contour, the hills and valleys that made up a body so divine he lost his breath every time he looked at her. And he knew he shouldn't.

"Sam..." Jake's voice had taken on an odd note and his face, inches from hers, showed a strained but slightly hopeful expression. "You're killin' me here. And you're still naked."

"You're not." Sam heard a sultry voice murmur. It took her a moment to realise it was her own. Jake's eyes went wide at her words and he stared at her in shock.

"Brat don't tease me. I'm... You're hard to resist." He said seriously.

"I'm not teasing." That sultry voice said. Sam felt herself move away from him, stepping back out of his embrace and holding her arms wide, inviting him to look at her. Sam had no idea where her bravery had come from. But she knew that she meant it when she said she wasn't teasing. She was in love with Jake. Which was why for the first time in her life she suddenly felt comfortable in her nakedness, in desiring him and wanting to act on that desire. Never in her life had Sam, even kissed a boy who wasn't Jake. Sam grinned wickedly when the though floated through her mind that she hoped he'd be the last too.

No wonder Gram freaked out last week, Sam thought smirking, first chance she got and she was ready to give up her last shred of innocence for Jake Ely.

Sam was surprised when Jake's gaze didn't leave her face. She could see his fists clenched and his jaw was tight and tense, but he kept his eyes glued to hers.

Jake panicked when Sam stepped away from him and spread her arms wide, inviting him to drink in the sight of her completely naked and willing. Swallowing harder this time Jake fought to keep his eyes fixed on her face. Because he knew that if he look his willpower would crumble and he wouldn't be able to stop until she was pregnant and wearing his ring and carrying his last name. And he was ready, heck was he ready for that to happen. But he knew Sam wasn't, no matter how much her sanity might have currently slipped it's leash. She was too young yet. She'd told him so. And she was right. Shoot, she had a week old baby brother, she didn't need a kid of her own nine months younger than her brother.

And while Jake loved the idea of spending his life with her. He knew that neither of their families were ready to accept a marriage between them when Sam was only just about to turn nineteen tomorrow. Jake had understood that when he'd asked Grace and Wyatt about courting Sam with the intention of convincing her to marry him, they'd only agreed because they loved him like a son anyway, but they believed it would take years for him to convince Sam of it. Knowing her it probably would. Which is why he wasn't gonna give in now, no matter how much he might want to. Not when they'd run the risk of him knockin' her up.

"Sam what are ya doin'?" he asked her. His voice was husky again, and Sam smiled knowing that he was fighting hard for the control he forced into his voice, knowing he wanted her. His brown eyes seared her with the desire she saw burning in them.

"Looks like I'm standin' here naked, invitin' you to look and make a decision." Sam replied. Jake swallow hard.

"And what decision might that be?" Sam could see Jake's hands shaking now. Only his shook from the restraint he was showing as he tried to keep his eyes fixed on her face.

"Whether or not you want me." Sam whispered to him, suddenly self conscious that he might reject her.

Jake's voice was so low and quiet that Sam almost didn't hear his reply

"You already know the answer to that Samantha."

Sam fought not to smile "So why am I the only one naked?"

Sam wondered what was going on when Jake's lazy tom cat smile appeared on his face. In spite of it he rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes attempted to stray south of her face.

"That'd be 'cause you ain't wearin' my ring." He drawled at her.

Sam's mouth fell open and Jake knew he had her now. Sam knew that he knew it too because she snapped her mouth closed again and worked her jaw furiously even as she blushed. At the moment Jake lost the battle to keep his eyes on her face and away from her naked form and Sam felt his gaze like a caress as it travelled over her modest breasts and her tight stomach and then further south. She wondered if she imagined it when she heard a soft groan, but Sam watched Jake's fists clench and unclench and she knew that his hands itched to touch her.

"Well now this is quiet the standoff ani't it?" Sam chuckled "You won't touch me until I marry you, and I won't marry you before I've even had my nineteenth birthday."

Jake's smile said he didn't find it amusing so much as an easy problem to fix. All Sam had to do was agree to marry him.

"Oh Shoot!" Jake said suddenly, his eyes snapping back to her face. "You're birthday's tomorrow." He exclaimed. Sam smirked. She'd almost forgotten as well. And now she was acutely aware of the fact that she was standing around naked.

"Thanks Cowboy." Sam said, winking at him for stating the obvious before she turned with as much dignity as she could muster when naked in front of her boyfriend who'd just turned her down and made her way into the bathroom to get her clothing.

What had she been thinking? Sam cursed herself as she pulled on her clothes. She must be suffering from brain damage from the hail stones hitting her. How else could she explain to herself why it was that she had just made a serious sexual advance on Jake? And she had been serious. She had every intention of letting him have his way with her right here in a cheap little motel room in Reno, directly going against the faith Gram had taught her, out of wedlock, and probably even without taking precautions.

If Jen knew she would probably smack Sam across the forehead for being so stupid. She was turning nineteen tomorrow for lands sakes! The last thing she need was to have to explain to Gram or Dad, or even Jake himself that due to uncontrollable hormones she could be having a baby before she turned twenty.

Sam was still lost in thought when she wandered back out into the bedroom part of their motel room.

"Brat, you know I can hear you muttering right?" Jake's soft voice said from somewhere near her knee. Sam's head snapped up and she realised she was sitting on the end of the bed, next to Jake who sat on the floor by her feet with his knees drawn up and arms hanging off them. He wasn't looking at her, but Sam could see the smirk on his face from where she sat next to him.

"What?" she asked.

"You were muttering. Really did a number on them mind walls huh?"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked him. Jake chuckled.

"You ain't muttered to yourself like that when someone might hear ya since ya got back to River Bend from the city."

Sam didn't reply and Jake snorted as he got to his feet and went into the bathroom to shower and get warm.

While he was gone Sam turned on the TV, it flickered with static but she could still see a vague picture and hear the reporters voice as she warned that the storms were to last into the night and that driving wasn't recommenced unless absolutely necessary. Her stomach rumbled as she watched and Sam began to wonder what they would do for dinner, seeing as driving anywhere to get food seemed out of the question. Getting to her feet Sam searched the room until she found a menu for room service. For a cheap motel this place had a decent menu, a few burgers with fries, Chicken-fried steak and fries, buffalo wings and apple, lemon or pecan pie for dessert.

Knowing Jake like she did she had no doubt that he would order a steak burger with fries and apple pie for dessert. Sam was leaning more towards the spicy chicken burger and pecan pie herself. Realising that she had picked up the phone and begun to dial Sam laughed at herself. She still ought to ask Jake, just in case he wanted something besides the burger she suspected he'd have.

She was trying to block out the entire scene from earlier, but Sam couldn't help wondering about something. She and Jake were dating, they were a couple and they were in love. And Jake had every intention of loving her for the rest of their lives. He'd told her so several times, but the words hadn't really sunk in until today when he had said that if she had found someone else to love in his absence, he would have spent his life trying to change her mind, or he would have spent it alone. It was a bleak outlook for a twenty-two year old man.

Sam wasn't surprised though. The entire time Jake had been away Sam had pined for him so much that she barely noticed other guys and blatantly refused to see the flirting of other guys with her, which Jen had pointed out several times. Sitting there in her cut off jeans and a purple pearl snap shirt, plaiting her hair either side of her face Sam let her mind wander to the awful scenario she had only allowed it to visit twice before.

While Jake had been away, especially in the months after he left, Sam had begun to worry that since Jake didn't love her, he might meet someone else away at college and bring them back to the ranch. Dad had done so when' he'd gone to college and met Mom. In her mind the girl Jake bought back was beautiful and perfect in every way. The first time she had dreamed that she had woken up crying.

Now the possibility seemed ridiculous, but she knew now that Jake still loved her. She had been terrified though, that he would find someone better than some cowgirl with dirt under her nails and manure on her boots and hair that smelled like horses and hay and dust. That'd he'd find someone that hadn't spent the better part of their life on a Ranch in rural Nevada, riding the Calico mountain ranges.

And now she had Jake back. And he loved her. Loved her so much that he'd bought an engagement ring for her but refused to give it to her or ask her properly to marry him because she kept arguing that she was too young. Sam snorted when she realised that for all intents and purposes they might as well be engaged anyway. After all she planned on marrying Jake Ely, just as much as he planned on marrying her. Would it really make much difference for her to admit that they were pretty much engaged anyway. They'd agreed they'd marry someday. The only thing missing was the engagement ring on her finger and the reactions of her family and friends.

Sam was still chuckling about it when Jake emerged from the steam filled bathroom dressed in track pants and a t-shirt. Sam had dug them out of the duffle bag she kept in her truck they were they spare clothes for wearing to bed that She'd thrown in years ago for Dad, but he'd never used them. Jake's wet hair was pulled up in a leather thong and Sam giggled a little more as she caught sight of Jake's pale bare feet. He always looked so vulnerable when he wore no socks.

"Something funny?" Jake asked. Sam was surprised to see that he looked relaxed and at ease as he flopped down onto the bed next to her. Landing on his stomach and glancing at the TV as the news showed images of the devastation so far in the storm. They also mentioned that the Reno rodeo had been cancelled because the amount of rain wasn't forecast to let up overnight and many of the competitors had gone home. Sam felt a guilty twinge that she was one of the many people who scratched from events. Of course her reason was because her horse had been sold and was halfway to Canada by now.

"They just read out your name on the news." Jake told Sam. "You forgot to collect your prize for winning the Cutting event."

"Shoot. I guess we can pick it up before we go home tomorrow. I looked at the menu for room service too, since we can't go out and get food in this storm. I was going to order for us but I thought I better let you pick what you want."

Jake nodded and took the menu Sam handed him, scanning it quickly. "Steak burger and apple pie." He said.

Sam smirked

"Shoulda called up and ordered." She muttered before picking up the phone and ordering them both dinner to be bought to the room. "Wanna watch a movie?" She asked Jake when she hung up. He was flipping channels looking bored and Sam couldn't help smiling.

Jake was laid out on his stomach with his feet on his pillow and his head pointed to the TV. Sam copied him, lying down next to him on the double bed and staring at the screen while they waited for their food.

"Not much on. Only movie I could find was the Disney version of Cinderella." Jake told Sam. He sounded tired and a little bored.

"Really?" Sam perked up.

Jake groaned as he remembered Sam's love of Disney movies. It was great having two little brothers because now she had a legitimate excuse for watching kids movies on a regular basis.

Jake handed her the remote and Sam flipped channels until the animated images filled the screen.

"We should have thought of this before we got here and showered" Sam said as Jake looked like he might die of boredom. "We could have sprung for some movies and hired some. It's not like we're going to get much sleep in this racket" Sam said as the hail began pounding down harder and a rumble of thunder interrupted the howling wind.

"Too expensive." Jake grunted at her as he watched the singing mice sewing a dress on the TV screen.

Sam snorted "I think we could have spared ten dollars. Especially after the money I made today."

Jake's eyes slid sideways to look at her and Sam handed him the folded up cheque Martina Malahov had given her for Frost and when Jake unfolded it Sam watched his eyes bulge at the number.

"Sixteen thousand dollars? For one horse?" Jake exclaimed.

"Yeah I nearly swallowed my tongue when she gave me this. I mean I got twelve thousand for Honey, and I was intending to ask for maybe thirteen for Frost. But she is worth this much. Maybe she's even worth more than this to Malahov, after all how much would you be willing to spend to ensure the safety of your kid?" Sam reasoned mildly. She meant the question to be rhetorical but Jake responded anyway.

"Trillions, but not on a damn horse. Even a rare coloured mare with proper trainin'. Ain't no horse worth that much money. Not when it can be used on more important things like keepin' food on the table and keepin' a ranch runnin'." Jake told her.

"You sayin' that you wouldn't spend that much to get Witch back if someone took her?" Sam asked him. Thinking she would pay much more than that to ensure the health and safety of Ace or Tempest or the Phantom.

"Naw. Ain't no horse worth that much Sam. Not when a ranch turnover don't clear much more than that some years."

Sam stared at Jake completely bewildered. She understood now that she'd grown up that money was important, and when Dad Gram and Brynna and Dallas had discussions about the ranch and about money Sam was always present. She understood that in a bad year when the cattle were thin and grazing was scarce and a crop failed far less than sixteen thousand could mean the difference between them keeping or losing the ranch. But Sam also knew that her animals were important. She supposed that if it came down to keeping the ranch or saving one of her horses the ranch would have to come first. But Sam couldn't help feeling that she'd do whatever she had to, to make sure she got to keep both if it really came down to it.

"You ain't changed a bit." Jake told her, reading her train of thought right off her face. "You'd do anything to save a horse wouldn't ya?"

Sam smiled at him and nodded.

"Don't look at me like that Brat. I already seen way too much of your crazy stunts as far as horses and safety and their freedom is concerned. You're lucky me and Wyatt didn't hog tie you to the barn and see to your home schoolin' with some of them stunts you pulled. And I can only imagine the trouble you got into while I was away."

Sam poked her tongue out at him "Jake Ely you wouldn't love me any other way."

Jake grunted at her but turned his attention back to the singing mice and Sam grinned. They both knew her words were true.

For fifteen minutes they watched the movie in companionable silence until there was a knock on the door.

"That'll be dinner" Sam said, climbing to her feet. While she answered the door Jake made them both hot chocolate.

Since there was no table, Sam and Jake made a picnic for themselves on the floor at the end of the bed. Having skipped lunch while selling Frost they were both hungry and tucked into their burgers ravenously. Sam surveyed the room as she ate.

The walls were pale green and the bed spread was black and white striped. The ratty carpet had once been blue but it was more like grey now. Other than a double bed, and the TV, bar fridge and kettle the room was bare. The only other feature being the tiny bathroom.

"Hungry huh?" Jake commented as Sam's burger and fries disappeared and she was halfway through her slice of pie while Jake still ate his burger.

"Starving. We missed lunch." Sam said. Jake's eyes told her he was amused by her appetite.

"Busy day too, ridin', sellin' a pony, and that strip show." He teased her.

Sam blushed red at the reminder. It wasn't fair of him to bring that up. She was a pathetic little idiot for even thinking about seducing her boyfriend when they had both been raised under the influence of Gram. Sam still remembered the talking to she'd gotten from Gram after she returned from San Francisco when Gram thought she snuck out of the house at night to meet Jake. As well as the far more recent talking to when she'd showed up wearing nothing but Jake's shirt and looking like she'd been ravished after their skinny dipping sleep over last week.

"Bet Gram's going batty sitting at home knowin' I'm holed up in a motel room with you, all alone for the whole night." Sam said, smiling fondly as an image of gram swam in her mind.

"Shoulda seen her face last week when you told Wyatt you'd be gettin' married and havin' kids of your own soon, not half an hour after I asked his permission to court ya." Jake said. Sam chuckled, no wonder dad's eyes had leapt to Jake accusingly and Jake had looked so cocky about it.

"Wait a minute... you actually asked his permission to date me?" Sam squeaked.

Jake snorted "Courtin' means a little more than date ya know Brat."

"Um... ok what does it mean?" Sam asked when she racked her brain for a definition and drew a blank beyond dating.

"To court a woman, in the olden days like, meant to apply to her family for permission to woo her, with the intention of securin' her hand in marriage." Jake said in a posh English accent "Least that's how Mom explained it when she suggested I ask your dad first." He added in his normal voice.

"So my family is under the belief that you are attempting to, what word did you use? Woo. That you're attempting to woo me into marrying you?" Sam qualified.

Jake nodded.

"And they agreed to it?" She screeched. Jake just winked at her indignation. Part of the reason she had been arguing that it was far too early for her to think about marriage was fear of telling Dad. And Jake had gone and done it without even asking her about it first. In typical Dad and Jake fashion, they'd come to some agreement, unbeknownst to Sam.

"Like an open book again." Jake said, his hand brushing across her wrinkled forehead as Sam scowled.

"My Dad agreed to letting you try to convince me to marry you?" Sam demanded.

"That a problem?" Jake asked her, his brown eyes suddenly worried by her reaction.

"Why is it, that while you were away I was like Dad's right hand, and you're back for a week and suddenly I feel like the fourteen year old kid burning for his approval and trust again?" Sam asked.

Jake shrugged at her.

Sam puffed her cheeks out in frustration before letting the breath go in a sigh. There was no winning that battle it seemed. Not if she wanted to keep Jake in her life.

"What did he actually say when you asked him?"

Jake smirked at her around his burger at her question, and he made her wait until he'd finished chewing before he'd answer. Seemed Jake had a knack for making her wait today. Sam scowled.

"Told me it was entirely up to you."

Sam could practically hear dad's voice as Jake repeated the phrase Wyatt Forster had offered him when he'd wrestled for his courage and asked the father of the girl he loved if he could court Samantha Forster. And she could hear Dad's unspoken meaning in those words. He was throwing the decision to her, knowing Sam well enough to know she'd flip her lid if he agreed to Jake's request in any way that made it sound like Sam had to marry Jake. Instead he had offered his own approval by telling Jake that it was up to her. And Sam cold just imagine that in her father's mind Sam would be difficult to convince. After all, Jake had been gone a long time and though they'd briefly been a couple romantically, they had been friends so long, and Jake had hurt her. Perhaps Wyatt believed Jake would have trouble convincing Sam to even date him, let alone marry him.

Sam snorted as her earlier behaviour swam in her mind. Nice one Dad, Sam thought, '_cause I'm such a beacon of restraint_. She was pleased that Dad had left it up to her though.

"How am I doin' so far?" Sam glanced at Jake as he spoke in that really low voice he only used when he was nervous or fighting for control.

"Well since I offered myself to you a little over an hour ago, what do you think?" Sam said sarcastically.

Getting to her feet Sam collected the rubbish from their feast and threw it in the trash.

"Know you well enough to know that sayin' no mighta ruined any progress." Jake murmured in that same voice and Sam whirled to find him standing directly behind her. Taking a step back Sam collided with the motel wall and stared up into Jake's brown eyes.

"Seems an awful risk to have taken then don't it?" she said, feeling herself pull on her cowgirl attitude defensively. She didn't want to talk about this. She'd made a fool of herself and acted like a tart offering herself to Jake like she had. And she knew that she had no right to be hurt about him being sensible, but she was anyway. It wasn't as if she went around just offering everything to any old stranger she met on the street. She'd only ever done it to Jake. Her boyfriend. The guy who was supposed to love her and want her, and he'd turned her down.

"Brat..." Jake began "You know it ain't 'cause I don't want you."

Sam glanced at him confused. How did he always know what she was thinking? Sam watched his jaw begin to work and knew that her unspoken disbelief was driving him mad. Because how could he prove her wrong and still keep to what he said about making her wait until she agreed to marry him. He narrowed his eyes on her.

"You want that then you just let me know and I'll get your ring" Jake said, his controlled tone attempting to hide his irritation at her. "'Til then, I don't care if we both go insane."

Sam narrowed her eyes on him. Why was it that everything Jake said to her came across as a dare?


	21. Strange Bedfellows

**A/N: Hey guys, Sorry it took me so long. I don't know why it did i've had 3 chapters written in advance on this for ages but i forgot i had them cos i've been working on the other fanfics i write as well as my manuscripts. Anyway i can't wait to see all your shocked reviews when you read this chapter. =) pretty please review. My apologies for any and all mistakes concerning spelling and grammar as well as factualness of the original stories. One of my other stories recently got a long review about all the supposed errors as far as plot lines go in keeping with the facts about the original stories. But not to worry. Much love my cherubs. xx-Kitten.**

Wild Things.

Chapter 21:Strange Bedfellows.

For hours Sam laid in bed, wide awake as she listened to the hammering of rain and hail on the roof. The motel room was dark, the TV turned off. But neither Samantha Forster nor Jake Ely slept. The small double bed forced them to lie close together, and the dare of Jake's earlier statement hung between them. Jake's words from hours earlier hung in her mind. Lying there beside him, so close that if either of them breathed deeply they would be touching, Sam's body was on fire. She burned to have him touch her. And the fact that he was still awake told her that he was burning too. It seemed they truly would go insane because both were too stubborn to change their minds right now.

Sam didn't even mean that she wanted to make love to Jake right now. She did, but she knew she'd hang onto her virginity until marriage like a lady. But that didn't mean she wanted to spend the time until then not even kissing Jake or touching him at all. And Jake's proclamation that if she wanted _that _all she had to do was let him know and he'd get the ring he'd bought for her and propose to her, which Sam assumed meant every and any sort of physical contact.

Sam blamed the Forster stubbornness that had resulted in her ducking under Jake's arm, crossing the room, undressing to her underwear as she moved and climbing into bed to watch the rest of the Disney movie without a word. She knew she was still teasing him with the idea that she laid just centimetres from him wearing nothing more than underwear. She also blamed the Forster stubbornness for the smugness she felt when she'd heard Jake's teeth begin to grind minutes after he had joined her in bed and they had stared at the pumpkin carriage being crushed under the hooves of the horses in the royal guard.

Jake's teeth were still grinding hours later.

Sam smirked as an idea struck her. He'd thrown down the dare that she would have to marry him if she wanted anything from him, but they were practically engaged anyway. The only thing missing was the actual proposal and the ring on her finger. So what if they could come to some sort of verbal agreement- properly, not just implied- that they were for all intents and purposes engaged, but that they wouldn't tell anyone just yet? After all, Sam wasn't even sure if her family knew they were dating again. She supposed that since Jake asked their permission they probably suspected. And Sam didn't want to go around spouting about her engagement to Jake after being back together a week when just last week Jen had turned down Ryan Slocum's proposal after they'd dated for five years.

Taking a deep breath Sam smiled as she rolled towards Jake in the bed and reached out her hand, letting it glide over his exposed stomach and chest to rest over his heart. Even that simple touch sped up his heart rate.

Shuffling closer, Sam wriggled until she could lay her head in the hollow of his shoulder. The grinding of teeth stopped and Sam knew Jake was holding his breath either in dread or anticipation of what Sam intended to do next. Especially when her hand on him began drawing those little love hearts again.

Sam fought not to giggle as she shifted so that her leg laid across him as well, draped across his hips and Jake went rigid all over. She could feel the physical evidence of his desire beneath her thigh, and Sam couldn't hold in the giggle this time. Jake sighed explosively, irritated that Sam was having such fun tormenting him. He was having enough trouble keeping his hands to himself when she'd been laying on the other side of the bed, not even touching him.

"Samantha what are you doing?" he asked, his voice controlled and tight.

In response Sam levered herself up until she was sitting straddle on his hips. Beneath her Jake moved and Sam realised his hand had shot out to find the light switch by his head when the room lit up again, making her blink at the brightness after such prolonged staring in the dark.

Jake was pinned beneath her and he stared at her with those wild brown eyes, so hot that it almost burned her. For just a moment Sam admired the handsome view Jake made. His long black hair was in a mess against the pillows, a stark contrast to the white of the pillow cases. His sharp high cheekbones and strong jaw made him handsome and those wild eyes stole her heart.

Jake clenched his jaw when he realised that Sam was straddling him, her spread legs allowing the centre of her body full contact with the centre of his, but for a few layers of clothing. Even as he fought to keep from reacting to having her sit there like that, Jake realised that he loved this view. The view of her in her underwear, her long wavy auburn hair hanging forward around her face and tickling his stomach and chest as she grinned that wicked grin that had always spelled mischief while she straddled him. She was beautiful.

"What happens now Cowboy?" Sam asked him, she could hear the teasing sultry quality in her voice and she smirked at the way he had tensed beneath her at the sound of it.

He just raised his eyebrows at her. Sam rolled her eyes at his clear confusion and obvious, if nonverbal, question.

"I mean what happens with us now? I agree that I'm not sleeping with you unless we get married. Besides I have a baby brother. I'm definitely not having my own kids right now, or even risking them. But it sounded to me like you weren't gonna touch me at all unless I let you propose to me. So what happens now?" Sam asked him, wiggling on top of him as she spoke.

She could see Jake was fighting for control as his eyes tried to roll back from the feel of her wiggling on top of his groin. And when his hands moved to her bare thighs and rested there warmly, Sam sighed happily.

"After all, since you went and showed me that you actually bought a ring, and you've told me a few times that you want to marry me... Well I haven't actually objected. We both know it'll happen eventually. The only thing missing is you getting down on one knee and putting the ring on my finger. So except for that we're practically engaged as it is, right? Unless you intend to change your mind?" Sam said, still sitting on top of him and wiggling. She could feel the hardness of him beneath her and she loved the way Jake seemed to be fighting the urge to groan in pleasure. Especially when his hands began to slide up and down her thighs in time with her wiggling.

Instead though, Jake's husky voice asked her a serious question.

"If that's how you feel then why are you resisting the idea of letting me put the ring on your finger Samantha?"

Sam smiled down at him.

"Girl don't want to seem over-eager." She teased him "I read somewhere that nothing makes a man run faster than the idea of gettin' married even floating around in a girl's head when they've only been dating a week."

Jake stared at her, clearly stunned by her words.

"Samantha whether it was official or not, you and me have been dating our whole lives." Jake said softly. "You know me better than anyone else in the world does."

"You want to give that reason to Gram if we were to show up at River Bend on my nineteenth birthday and announce that we were engaged? That we've been unofficially dating since the day you hung your three year old face over the bars of my crib and looked at me in wondering revulsion." Sam asked him. "Especially since Gram started worrying the day I got home from San Francisco at thirteen that when I left the house at night and went to the river, she thought I was meeting up with you and engaging in lewd acts. Bet that'd go down like medicine with a spoonful of sugar. Or maybe you want to tell your folks how you nearly ditched college to propose to a fifteen year old me and loved me ever since." Sam took a deep breath to continue but Jake interrupted

"Before." He said.

"What?"

"I loved you before I realised I wanted to propose to the fifteen year old version of you." Jake told her.

Sam stared at him in shock. He couldn't be serious could he? Sam had worked out a few months before they got together that she liked him a whole awful lot more than just a crush. And that had been after spending weeks convincing herself that maybe it was ok to like him as more than just her best friend, even before he took her hand at the gathering they'd had a River Bend. And she had loved him a lot as her friend. But they had been dating three weeks when she'd realised she was in love with him.

"Well since when?" She asked him softly, searching his handsome face for clues.

Jake watched her for a moment, contemplating telling her the whole truth about how long he had loved her. Taking a deep breath and wishing he had his hat to hide under Jake answered her honestly. "Since the day I stood freezing in the snow with wet clothes on, hauling that blind little mustang your big heart had to save, while you took darn pictures instead of helpin'." He murmured. Sam raised her eyebrows at him wondering why. Since he was lying down Jake couldn't rub the back of his neck, but he ran his hand through his hair instead before explaining "Takes a special sort of someone to have Witch double 'em. If my monster horse could make room for you on her back, figured there was probably already a piece of your turf in my heart, my horse just had to point it out for me to realise it."

Sam felt the prickle of tears in her eyes at Jake's whispered words. Along with the surge of love in her heart so strong that it rocked Sam's world right off its axis.

He'd loved her that long. She'd still been thirteen then hadn't she? Still had that awful haircut she'd given herself. She'd only been back a few months by the time she convinced scary old Mrs. Allen to adopt fourteen unadoptable mustangs to save their lives from mean old Norman White and his numbers. Jake had been the annoying, handsome best friend who looked out for her and stuck to her better than a burr to a calf's tail, keeping his promise to God that the Phantom would never get a second chance to kill her. And he'd realised then that he loved her?

"Marry me?" She blurted to Jake without thinking.

Jake's brown eyes went wide at her words.

For just a moment he looked like he didn't believe his ears. Surely he was dreaming, Jake thought. Because in the real world Samantha Forster wouldn't be straddling him, half naked in a motel room and proposing to him. In the real world, she would shout at him for even thinking that being engaged at nineteen was something she would do. Sam looked slightly shocked at her request, but after a moment she smiled widely.

Sam squeaked when Jake flipped them. Before she could register what was going on, she was on her back with Jake's face hovering above hers, his body resting between her legs and pressing down on her deliciously. And for the first time in her life Sam didn't mind at all that Jake Ely had her pinned beneath him.

"You would, wouldn't you?" Jake growled at her angrily "When it's me trying to convince you and do the askin' you're ready to bolt. But then you'll turn right around- half naked, mind you- and ask _me _to marry _you_?"

Sam chuckled at his grumbling.

"You wouldn't love me any other way Jacob." She told him before reaching up and sliding her hands into his black hair on both sides of his face so she could pull him down and kiss his soft lips.

She really meant it. She wanted to marry him with all her heart and soul. She thought she wasn't ready when he'd suggested it last week and told her about the ring. She'd panicked at the idea of being married before her twenty-first birthday. And then there were all those reasons she'd given Jen and that Jen had listed for not getting married now. But as Sam felt Jake lean into their kiss, even while he smiled Sam realised she'd been wrong. About everything.

Yes she was young, far too young for kids, but they didn't have to rush into having kids. And she wasn't like Jen. Sam had no aspirations to set up her own veterinary practice, she didn't have a college degree to finish in another state. Sam had the life she wanted. A life where she spent her days working with horses and working on the ranch and sometimes working for the BLM, other times freelancing- when the mood to write an article struck her- and when she wasn't doing all of those things she went to classes at the community college here in Reno. She was home to watch her brothers grow up and to see Dad and Brynna and Gram every day. She had no dreams of moving away from River Bend to some place where she might someday get a phone call to say that the worst had happened.

The life Sam had was more than enough for her and she had no intention of changing it. She was in love with the man who been her best friend her whole life and by some miracle he loved her back. All those reason she'd given Jen for not getting married now weren't reasons that applied to her own life. They were only reasons that applied to Jen, and even then some of them didn't strictly apply, they were just mentioned to ease Jen's guilt over turning down Ryan's proposal.

With Sam beneath him, Jake leant into the kiss she gave him. Sweeping his tongue against hers and moving his lips as though he could never get enough of her. Because he couldn't. Replacing the shock and disbelief at hearing her ask him to marry her, was love for her so strong that Jake wanted to keep her right there beneath him forever. She drove him crazy in every possible way. She was stubborn and strong willed and pig headed and had no regard for her own safety at all when she rushed in to defend the _poor innocent_ creatures that needed her. Even the dangerous ones like that damned cougar that could have killed her. And when she wasn't trying to give him a heart attack or frustrating him beyond belief she had that massive heart that made her run herself ragged for the stallion that had once been her little colt. The colt that had kicked her in the head and almost killed her.

Jake groaned when he felt Sam wrap her legs around his waist and lock her ankles against the small of his back. She was trying to kill him. That was the only explanation Jake could find for her behaviour. She was trying to drive him insane with desire for her. Shoot he loved her and Jake had never felt anything so good than her pulling him down on top of her and kissing him with such passion and love that it stole his breath and had a lump of emotion forming in his throat.

Sam's eyes opened slowly when Jake pulled back from their kiss. She could feel the goofy smile on her face, and see it mirrored on Jake's.

"You mean it Sam?" Jake asked her in that deep low when he'd caught his breath. "You're not just messin' with my head?

"I mean it Jake. Marry me." Sam wore that wicked little smile "Got ya roped and hauled to the fire, now I just gotta brand and eartag ya."

Sam giggled at herself for the analogy. It was an apt description for being married to someone.

"Get my knife and take out a piece of your ear then, will I?" Jake said smirking in amusement when Sam began to hoot as she laughed at herself.

"You touch my ears with a knife Jake Ely, and I'll put a brand on your forehead." Sam told him, sticking her tongue out and trying to wiggle away from him when he gently took hold of her ear.

"Why is it" Jake began teasingly "that the one day I don't have that ring within reach, is the day you decide you finally want to accept my proposal?"

Sam snorted "Accept? Cowboy _I_ asked _you_."

Jake laughed. Outright laughed at her.

"In my head, I always managed to convince you in the middle of a fight, surrounded by people. I dreamt about it the night I bought that ring. Dreamt that I got down on one knee in front of everyone we know and kept trying to swallow my tongue as I fought to get the words out to ask you proper." Jake admitted to her.

"Oh don't worry Jake, you'll get that chance." Sam told him mysteriously. "Now are you accepting my proposal or not?"

"'Course I am." He said hoarsely.

Sam beamed at him and kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck and tightening her legs around his waist Sam threw herself into that kiss. Her tongue danced with Jake's and she felt herself groan when Jake's body subconsciously thrust against hers. She was seeing stars as fireworks exploded behind her eyes from the raw passion sizzling through her from every point that she and Jake touched each other.

She loved him so much. And now she'd get to keep him forever. There would never be another day where she sat out on the range, staring glumly off into space and wondering if he'd ever loved her, why he left without her, how he could break her heart so badly.

Because he'd put it right back together. And in the nature of scars it was so much stronger now, so much stronger because she knew that no matter what life might throw at her in the future, she'd have Jake right there next to her, loving her through any and every hardship.

When Jake pulled back this time Sam opened her eyes slowly. Those wild mustang eyes danced inches above her and Sam could see the pure happiness in Jake's face as she whispered

"We're engaged."

Jake chuckled at the wonder and excitement and pure joy on her face and in her eyes as she whispered those words.

"Happy birthday, Brat."


	22. I'd Lie

**A/N: OMG FINALLY AN UPDATE! Sorry for taking so long. I realized that the stuff i had written was all crap so i had to delete it and start again. Anyways, I'm thinking that when i finish this story, or maybe just when i get bored and have some more free time that isn't entirely devoted to working on my manuscript, it might be fun to do another SAKE story, starting at the end of the 24th book and portraying the summer before Jake goes to college. What do you guys think? Should i go for it, even if it means that me updates for all my stories might be delayed as i'll be updating four instead of 3? Also, my manuscript take priority since I only have the rest of this year of my college degree before i have to get a job and what not so i want it finished and submitted to a publisher before the end of the college year, which for me ends in October, hence the lapses in updates. Anyway. please review my cherubs. Much Love xx-Kitten.**

Chapter 22: I'd Lie

Slowly Jake Ely opened his eyes. Sun streamed in through the tiny gap in the curtains and he realised he'd overslept. As he began to stretch Jake froze when he heard a mumbled groan. Glancing down, his eyes met the view of wavy auburn hair tangled up and splayed out over his chest and the small adorable sleeping face of Samantha Forster tucked into the hollow of his shoulder. Her arm laid across his ribs and her legs were wrapped around his leg closest to her.

In spite of her groan she looked to still be fast asleep on his chest and Jake smiled as last night came flooding back to him. It had been after midnight when she'd asked him to marry her, and even later when they'd fallen asleep after intense kissing and timid touching. Jake smirked when he spotted a tiny purple love bite on her neck. In a way it was evidence that they'd done more than kiss, but Jake preferred to think of it as marking his territory. In her sleep Sam snuggled her face against him and Jake tightened his arms around her reassuringly. She smiled as she slept and Jake remembered that it was her nineteenth birthday today. He had a gift for her at home, but if she weren't sleeping on top of him he would get up and go somewhere so he could get her breakfast in bed.

He wouldn't wake her though. She'd told him a few days ago how bad things had been getting at River Bend with Charlie not letting anyone get a decent sleep. Not to mention the fight she had had yesterday with her family because of fraying nerves. The storm last night had kept them awake as well, so if Sam wanted to sleep in today then she could. After all it was her birthday, and it wasn't as if they had vital work either of them needed to be doing. Not now that Frost was sold and they were going on the summer cattle drive tomorrow for a week. Jake remembered the last time they'd been on the summer drive together and he knew that by the end of the week Sam would be cranky from sunburn and saddle soreness and tiredness. A few extra hours sleep today wouldn't go astray after the week she'd had.

Smiling again as Sam laughed in her sleep, Jake smoothed his hand over her long hair and down her back. He still couldn't believe what had happened last night. The entire evening had been a rollercoaster, beginning with her offering herself to him completely naked, and ending with her straddling his chest and proposing to him. Jake snorted at that. It was typical of Sam to be so contrary as to propose to him, but be terrified of the idea when he'd tried to ask her first.

Jake glanced down when he felt her small fingers drawing those love hearts against his chest and her lips press against his skin.

"Jake" Sam breathed. He could hear the happiness in her voice as she said his name "Hmmm I could wake up like this forever."

"As of today you can Brat." Jake told her softly, smiling at the idea.

Sam sighed "No I can't."

Sam felt Jake tense up beneath her. She knew he was panicking that she was going to back out of their engagement.

"Relax Cowboy" she murmured, pressing a kiss against Jake's neck. "I just meant that since we aren't actually married yet, and don't live together we can't wake up like this every morning. And we can't just announce that whilst away overnight, after dating legitimately for a week this time 'round, we suddenly got engaged. We'll have to wait awhile before we can tell anyone. Especially because it will get back to Jen, and she's still so sad and feels so guilty about saying no to Slocum's proposal that I don't want her to know. She'll smile like she's happy for us, but she'll be sad and even guiltier too" Sam told him.

When she lifted her head to peer at Jake's expression she could see the hardness in his eyes. His expression told her that he didn't give a damn about Jen's feelings right now, that he wanted to tell the world that Sam was his forever.

"You know we can't just announce that we're getting married all of a sudden. People like Gram will think that we had sex last night and to be on the safe side got engaged. And as far as anyone knows, you broke my heart when you went off to college and dumped me. Then spent four years not even talking to me properly. The rest of our world needs more than a week's worth of possible dating before they'll even think for a minute that we might get married." Sam reasoned with him.

"Besides, you bought that fancy little ring box and dreamt about proposing to me in front of everyone we know" Sam teased "Do you really think I would make you miss out on that opportunity to get down on one knee in front of them all. Plus, when you get all shy it kinda turns me on."

Jake's face went blank for a minute and then he snorted at her as he began to laugh. Sam chuckled along with him as he shook his head even while he laughed so hard that tears ran down his face.

"You really would wouldn't you? You'd ask me to marry you in a dingy little motel room in the middle of a storm, but then turn around and tell me I'd have to keep it a secret and propose to you properly in front of everyone where I'll be chokin' on my tongue while I stutter out the words 'cause everyone will be watchin'?" Jake grumbled.

Sam giggled, nodding her head "At least you won't have to worry about me saying no." She offered.

"You're such a Brat." Jake told her.

Sam grinned, moving closer to him and rubbing noses with him Eskimo style.

"I know. You've told me so since I was three years old." Sam smiled before resting her head back on his shoulder. Just as she'd begun to drift off to sleep again with Jake's hands smoothing through her hair lovingly, Sam's eyes flew open again.

"Oh my gosh!" She said, sitting up and moving off Jake.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice calm and strong and ready for whatever she might throw at him, just as he had been the day she'd phoned for Maxine's help delivering Cody.

"We're engaged and we haven't even discussed the important stuff." Sam said, appalled.

"What important stuff?"

"Sometimes you are such a guy Jake Ely. The really important stuff that couples are supposed to discuss before they make decisions as life changing as getting married, like whether we'll have kids and how many we'll have, like where we'll live, you know neither of us would be happy on the other's ranch. And our families ranch houses are both practically bursting at the seams, we can't exactly move into either one on a permanent basis if we're having a family. You know Jake, that kind of important stuff."

Jake smiled at her as she worried at her lip.

"Sort of figured we'd just take it as it comes." He said softly "But I do want kids, probably a whole herd of 'em. Three or four, who knows maybe I'll follow my parents example and have some crazy number of kids like they did. But as for the living arrangements, you're right, neither of us will be happy on the other's ranch. Even though I practically live at River Bend anyway, since I'm there most days rather than home and have been all my life." Jake said.

"See this is the type of thing we need to discuss, not just with each other, but with our families." Sam said.

Jake watched her for a moment.

"We'll work it out." Then he rubbed the back of his neck before grinning at her "You, uh, you got a mark on your neck."

Sam raised her eyebrows. When he kept rubbing the back of his neck Sam sighed and clambered out of bed, wandering across the room in her underwear and turning on the light in the bathroom. Sam laughed when she saw her reflection. Her long hair was a mass of tangles like a birds nest right there on her head and she had dark circles under her eyes like a zombie, but Jake had only chosen to mention the little purple love bite he'd left on the side of her neck.

Sighing Sam finger combed her hair until it had some modicum of dignity before plaiting it either side of her face. When Sam left the bathroom Jake was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, pulling on his boots. And his hat was on his head, his hair tied back in it's leather shoe-lace.

"Sam" he said as she walked towards him with her plaits swinging, wearing nothing but blue cotton underwear. Sam raised her eyebrows at him. "Happy Birthday." He wished her, getting to his feet and pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks Jake." She whispered, breathing in the scent of him and quivering with pleasure. "Since when do you hug this much?" She asked him

Jake just shrugged at her before handing her shirt to her.

"I feel bad letting you buy me breakfast." Sam said around her eggs as she watched Jake with his breakfast deluxe meal. Sam had brought Jake to her favourite cafe in Reno, since it was her pick because it was her birthday. When she came into Reno for her classes at college, Sam made sure to always stop in to Anna's Coffee shop because they made the sweetest and richest hot chocolate around. Thick creamy hot chocolate that came with whipped cream, marshmallows and a dusting of chocolate powder. Sam was certain that life didn't get better than Anna's Hot Chocolate.

Jake ignored her protest again. He'd stolen her wallet from her in the car so that she wouldn't be able to pay for their breakfast and insisted that since it was her birthday she had to be chauffeured everywhere today. Sam suspected that he just preferred driving to being the passenger.

Sam smiled at Jake as he shovelled a pile of bacon and toast and eggs smothered in hot sauce into his mouth.

He raised his eyebrows questioningly when he found her staring at him.

Sam rolled her eyes at her fiancé, enjoying the way it felt to think that word in reference to Jake.

"So, I need to go to the drug store before we leave, and we need to stop at the showgrounds and pick up my prize from yesterday. But then I vote we head home. I bet Gram made me a fancy birthday cake."

"What do you need at the drug store?" he asked her softly.

Sam smiled at him.

"There's a special new cream on the market that soothes arthritis and stiff joints. And with the week ahead of us for the cattle drive, I thought it might be nice to get some for Dallas, because he's such a grouch when his arthritis flares from the constant riding, especially night-hawking. And Gram gets stiff too, driving and putting up the tents and setting up camp is hard on her hands, she's not as young as she used to be or so she tells me. I think she looks the same as always. Brynna said she needs to stay close to Charlie so she can feed him and apparently riding is too painful yet so soon after the birth, so she's staying home with Cody and Charlie and I think she's going to babysit Tia for the week as well. I need to grab a few more pacifiers for Charlie too, since I'm pretty sure Gram only bought one and they get lost easily. If I can do anything to keep that kid from crying I will."

Jake watched her with a tiny smile on his face.

"Brynna said she won't mind staying home with the kids, but I know how she hates to be left out of stuff, especially when it's important stuff for the ranch. She hates feeling like she isn't contributing. So maybe a few extra pacifiers will mean we can all get some sleep and she doesn't have to be left out because she is doing the important job of minding children, allowing the rest of us to contribute to ranch life in peace. And I heard Dad muttering the other day that if Charlie kept it up he'd find the brandy Gram uses in cooking and give a drop or two to Charlie to make him sleep."

As Sam continued talking about her family, Jake watched her with a smile. It was clear that she loved all of them to pieces, but Jake marvelled at the way she seemed to think of everyone else all the time. Over the last week while he'd been home he'd found that another of the things Sam had changed about herself was that she was now so selfless she really could be a saint. If she could find anything or do anything to make anyone's life just a little bit easier or a little better she did it without hesitation and without asking.

At the homecoming party at Three Ponies last week, after Jake had asked her to be his girlfriend again, his mother had mentioned to Grace and Sam and Jake that she'd been meaning to get to weeding her flower gardens but had been so busy with school and marking and planning the party and the cattle drive that she just didn't have time. And now that she had two extra sons and a granddaughter around she idly wondered when she'd get to it between then and when school went back in the fall.

The following morning Jake had heard his father's exclamation before Luke had come back into the house, asking his wife when she had weeded the gardens since they'd gone to bed after the Forster's left and Maxine hadn't left his side all night. The whole Ely family had spilled into the ranch yard to stare at the perfectly weeded garden beds and Quinn had announced that all the weeds had been thrown into the compost heap.

"Surely not" Maxine had whispered "Surely she didn't. But then, I wouldn't be a bit surprised. I don't know when Samantha Forster sleeps, or how on earth she managed to weed these in the middle of the night without disturbing the dogs, but she'll be the one responsible for this."

Sam still hadn't admitted to it. Claiming she had no idea what Jake had been talking about when he rode over to River Bend and asked her about it. But he'd seen the rash on her hand from where she'd pulled out a poison ivy vine that had crept it's way in amongst the weeds.

And she seemed tireless in her efforts. No task was too menial, and even if she wasn't asked to do it, Jake had noticed that she would discreetly do it without telling anyone it had been her. Obviously her family knew because they would all discuss it and have Sam deny it.

Three days ago Jake had found Sam in the bunkhouse where Dallas, Ross and Pepper lived, cleaning. All day he'd hung around, but none of the hands mentioned it, though they all noticed from the way they smiled small smiles and the way they all tipped their hats to her all evening.

It had baffled Jake, and Grace must have noticed his confused expression because she'd stood next to him and whispered "No need look confused Jake. The hands tried to thank Sam the first time she cleaned the Bunkhouse. And the second and third time. She still refuses to admit that it's her who cleans it, even though she's been doing it for four years. Same goes for everything on this ranch. The barn is the cleanest it's ever been. And you probably noticed the fresh coat of paint. That old supply cupboard we called Blackbeard's is more like a hospital store room cupboard now, with the way it's so neat. She never admits that it's her, and she refuses to take credit for anything she's done. But since the day after you left, all the little odds and ends that the rest of us mean to get to but keep putting off or don't have time for have been getting done before any of us have really thought of them."

"Jake?" Sam's voice sang softly. Sam smiled when his eyes refocused on her face. "You ok Cowboy?"

Jake nodded at her "Sorry. That was rude." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck when he realised he had stopped listening to Sam talk as he thought about her.

"Are you ready to go?" Sam asked. Glancing at his plate Jake noticed that he must have still been eating while he was lost in thought because his plate was empty. Nodding again Jake got to his feet, throwing money down on the table to tip their waitress.

Jake watched as Sam skipped out into the street to her truck, in spite of the damage in town Sam seemed to be in such a good mood that the smashed shop windows and uprooted trees didn't seem to dampen her mood. With her plaits swinging wildly Sam danced in her cut offs, purple pearl snap and boots, twirling in circles and bopping her head to the music in her mind. Jake raised an eyebrow when he saw that she had somehow managed to find two undamaged red poppies and had one stuck through the end of each plait.

How did she always manage to be so full of happiness and energy? Jake wondered.

"I'll be two minutes ok?" Sam said as she slid out the car door onto the grass of the showground. She had said the same thing when she went into the drug store. Ten minutes later she had emerged with a bag full of stuff. Jake rolled his eyes. He'd intended to follow her, but she insisted that she wanted to go by herself.

Sam grinned as she looked over her shoulder at Jake where he sat in her truck Hester. She happened to know what the prize was for winning the cutting event, and she knew Jake didn't know what it was. Which was convenient, because it was a water pump. A few weeks ago when she had been over at Three Ponies talking to Maxine, Luke Ely had come into the kitchen announcing that they would need to get a new water pump for the well as soon as they could afford it, especially with the two wandering boys coming home.

Sam knew they couldn't afford a new one. So she knew very well that they didn't have a new one yet. Just last year River Bend had replaced their own water pump with some of the money they'd made from selling Honey. Sam knew that her family didn't need it, and it wasn't as though she could exchange it for something else having won it and not possessing the receipt.

So Sam had convinced Jake to wait in the truck so that she could come in and find some paper, even newspaper, to wrap up the pump.

The Ely's were far too proud to accept the pump if she were to try and give it to them, so Sam wouldn't even bother offering it to them. She would keep it a secret from Jake, telling him it was kitchen appliances or some other appliance that he wouldn't be interested in looking at. And rapping it could be explained away by telling him she hoped to give it to Gram when her birthday rolled around.

Then tonight when everyone was asleep, Sam would do what she had done last week when she'd weeded Maxine's garden. She would ride over in the middle of the night on Tempest- her mare had the stealth of her father and Gal, the Ely's ranch dog was going deaf- then by torchlight Sam would disconnect the old broken down pump and install the new one, leaving a stick on bow on top of it inside the little pump shed. The Ely's would be none the wiser until they went out to look at the pump next.

Sam smirked, besides, she was marrying Jake so that made her family and she wasn't about to see her family stuck. Even if they were the in-laws. Sam chuckled to herself, knowing her plan was absolutely genius.

Jake raised his eyebrows when Sam glanced at him sideways in the truck as they rolled across the River Bend bridge.

"If Gram asks, I won a coupon to spend at the cafe where we had breakfast ok? Park close to the barn and I'll sneak the box in there to hide it until I can get around her to hide it in my cupboard in my room somewhere ok?" Sam said.

"You never did grasp the idea of not lying to the folk who love you, did ya Brat?" Jake said.

Sam smirked. Of course she had. But sometimes it was for the best.

"It's not really lying. It's more like white lying. You know, the type of lie you tell to keep from hurting someone's feelings. Or the lies your parents tell you when you're a kid and don't want to eat your vegies. White lies are ok because they keep the peace. It's not like I'm lying to them and telling them I snuck off and joined the circus and I'm leaving tomorrow without telling them." Sam reasoned.

Jake watched her with an unreadable expression for a minute "You mean like the way you're lyin' and not tellin' anyone we're gettin' hitched? That kind of lie? You know, the type that will hurt them if they find out the truth?"

"Jake" Sam warned softly "You know that's not what we're doing. If you really want to go in there and face Gram's wrath when you tell her we're getting married after spending a night all alone together in a motel room then be my guest. But personally, I like having my head attached to my body. And if we announce we're engaged she'll think we had sex last night. Do you really want to stand there and correct her while you tell her I tried to convince you and you turned down her favourite granddaughter?"

Jake's eyes narrowed on her and he crossed his arms. "I don't like it."

"Well, since I'm not even wearing a ring I think it's for the best to keep it to ourselves for now." Sam said, copying Jake's movements.

"I can ride right on home and get your ring right now Samantha." Jake said coldly.

Sam sighed. He wasn't happy about keeping their secret. At all. Sam knew without him saying that it was because he knew someone would find out eventually, and then there would be trouble when the truth came out that they'd been engaged awhile and hadn't told anyone. It was risky. A lot of people would be hurt to find out that they'd been lied to about something so important.

"That's not what I meant Jake." Sam said. Her eyes searched Jake's face and as she stared into those brown eyes Sam realised something. Jake thought she was resisting telling people they were engaged because she was ashamed to admit she loved him. And she'd bet he thought that because he was half Indian. It had always been a sore spot on his pride, Jake was proud of his Shoshone heritage, but he hated the way it made him different from Sam or Jen or Darrel. Sam narrowed her eyes on her fiancé dangerously.

"Jacob Ely if you think for even a second that I'm suggesting we keep this a secret for any other reason than you've only been back a week then you better get to talkin' about what it is." Sam growled at him. Jake's eyes showed she'd hit the nail on the head and his silence confirmed that it was because of his heritage that he doubted her.

"If you think" Sam snarled, pointing her finger at him threateningly "that you can just sit there believing that I'm keeping a secret because you've deluded yourself into believing that your heritage or who you are has any bearing on my feelings for you, then you're an idiot and a fool Jake Ely!" Sam snapped at him before unbuckling her seat belt and climbing out of the car, slamming her door behind her.

Muttering to herself about what an idiot Jake was, Sam hauled the pump box out of the tray of her truck and stormed into the barn, finding a hiding place for the box in Blackbeard's closet. She wasn't surprised when her ears detected the chime of spurs. Straightening Sam turned around to find Jake a few feet away from her, his thumbs were both hooked into his pockets and his hat sat low over his eyes, hiding his expression in the shadowy gloom cast by the dim barn and his hat brim. Sam crossed her arms, scowling at him as she waited for him to say something.

Slowly, Jake tipped his head to one side until Sam could see the torment in his eyes. Sam knew he wouldn't speak, even though his apology for doubting her feelings gleamed in those mustang eyes.

"You keep doubting me and we're gonna have a problem." Sam told him softly. "I proposed to you Jake. You really think I would propose if I cared about something like hillbilly racism? I think you're heritage is cool. And I know you do too so don't look at me like that."

Jake shrugged at her, and Sam knew it was his silent way of agreeing that he did think it was cool but didn't like to admit it. Sam stalked towards Jake slowly.

"You better stop doubtin' me Cowboy" she murmured, moving until they were nose to nose " 'Cause whether you believe it or not, I love everything about you Jake Ely."

Sam stood on tiptoe as she pulled Jake down by the front of his shirt and pressed her lips against his.

Sam threw all of her love into that kiss, showing him that she loved more than anything else in the world as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Jake's arms slid around her waist and pulled her against him as he kissed her back just as fiercely.

"SAMMY!" The voice of Cody Forster cried with such happiness that Sam pulled back from the intense kiss she and Jake shared. Jake didn't let go of her waist though, even as Sam turned her head in time to see the blur of Cody as he rushed into the room and ran for her legs.

Sam glanced back at Jake for a moment because he still hadn't let go of her even as Cody collided with her legs. Jake's eyes shone as he met her gaze. They shone with happiness and love for her and so much feeling at her words.

"I love you too." Jake told her softly as he let go of her waist so that she could pick up the small boy hugging her legs.

Sam smiled at him before turning her attention to a very insistent Cody.

"I thought you got lost in the storm!" Cody told her as he practically climbed up her legs until he could get his arms around her neck in a hug,

"I missed you too buddy." Sam told him, cuddling the small boy close.

"Are you ok Sammy? Did your car get hurt in the storm? Did you sell Frost?" Cody babbled at her. Sam opened her mouth to answer him when Cody turned in her arms and waved happily at Jake who stood a few feet away "Hi Jake" Cody said.

"Hey Code." Jake replied, tipping his hat to the boy.

"My car is fine and I'm good and yes, we sold Frost to a Canadian lady."

"Gram said it's your birthday today Sammy?" Cody said innocently.

"It is my birthday today. Jake bought me breakfast. Wasn't that nice of him?"

"I like breakfast." Cody said, nodding "Sammy, do you and Jake love each other?"

"Yeah we do buddy." Sam told him, smiling at Jake. Cody considered that for a moment before he nodded and moved right on to the next question he had stored up.

"Gram wants you to go inside to get your presents." Cody said.

Smiling at the little boy Sam looked at Jake before walking out of the barn and into the house with Jake following along behind her.

"Happy Birthday Sam honey!" Gram said, as Sam put Cody down in the kitchen. The scent of Lavender filled Sam's nose as Gram wrapped her into a hug. "I'm so glad you're alright." She said as she let go of Sam.

"Is everything alright here? Was there any damage in the storm?"

"A tree came down over one of the fences but the hands and Wyatt are out fixing it now." Gram said, peering into Sam's face. "I just can't believe you're nineteen years old already." Gram murmured, cupping Sam's face in her palms "It seems like just yesterday that we bought you home from the hospital and now look at you. All grown up and so beautiful that it breaks my heart."

Sam blushed at Gram's words but couldn't help the warmth that spread through her.

"I love you Gram." Sam said softly.

"I love you too honey, more than you know."

Sam grinned when she saw Jake rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably as he sat at the kitchen table and watched the display of affection between the Forsters.

"Oh and I got you something while we were in Reno" Sam said, reaching for the bag of stuff she had bought from the drug store and digging out the arthritis cream she had bought for her grandmother. "I got some of this for Dallas too. And there is a bunch of stuff in there for Charlie."

Gram blushed slightly when Sam handed her the cream.

"Oh honey you didn't have to get this for me."

"I know how your hands ache when you drive and then set up camp and cook for us on the cattle drive Gram. I wanted to make sure you had something that might ease it a little more than hot dishwater does."

For a long moment Grace Forster gazed at her granddaughter.

"You get more and more like Louise everyday Sam. I know she's proud of you. I know I am." Gram said.

Sam smiled gently at Gram, even though missing Mom hurt, Sam loved hearing how much she was like her even though Sam had only known her for such a short time.

"Thanks Gram." Sam whispered "Do you know when Dad will be back. I want everyone here, I have something to show you guys."

"I think they were all going to come back for lunch, so they should be here any minute. Brynna's upstairs with Charlie right now. How did you kids go last night? Was everything ok in Reno?"

Sam could see Gram glancing between Sam and Jake and Sam just knew that as soon as Gram could get her alone she would grill her about last night in more detail. Sam couldn't help but giggle when for the briefest of moments Gram's eyes darted to Sam's left hand and scanned it for an engagement ring. It was to be expected that Gram might worry after Sam's statement. Self consciously Sam swung her plait forward to conceal the small purple love bite Jake had left on the side of her neck.

"Everything was fine. We stayed at a Truck stop so that we could park the car and trailer undercover out of the hail. Got room service for dinner since there were warnings to avoid driving unless absolutely necessary. Mostly we watched movies." Sam told Gram, not lying to her but not telling her about the fact that Sam had stripped and offered herself to Jake, or the fact that they had gotten engaged.

"The car and the trailer still got a few hail dents from driving between the fairground and the motel." Jake said as he watched Sam begin to make hot chocolate for him and for herself.

"The storm was scary Sammy. It was so windy I thought the roof was gonna blow off."

"It was windy in Reno too buddy. It tried to blow us off the road but Jake's too good a driver to let that happen." Sam said as she made the drinks. When she turned to bring Jake his drink she found him rubbing the back of his neck again and looking embarrassed by her praise.

Gram's eyes darted between the two of them again, clearly looking for some sign that something had happened between Sam and Jake overnight.

"So everything went ok?" Gram said as Sam handed Jake his blue mug of hot chocolate. His hands encircled hers on the mug as he took it from her and he gave her the tiniest of smiles.

"Thanks" he murmured softly.

"Everything went fine Gram. We just holed up like Dad told us too and waited out the storm. It didn't let up until dawn this morning." Sam said as she sat next to Jake and sipped her hot chocolate.

Gram nodded and went back to baking the cookies same could smell in the oven.

"Do you kids want some lunch?" Gram said "You're presents are over there Sam, but you'll have to wait until everyone else gets here before you can open them." Gram told her.

"Lunch would be nice." Sam said softly, watching the way Jake kept glancing sideways at her. Under the table Sam moved her foot over and sat it on top of his. For a second he looked startled but when he quirked an eyebrow at her Sam just grinned.

"We're having all your favourites today Sam, so for lunch I've got chicken drumsticks in sticky honey and barbeque glaze simmering away in the oven."

"We might as well wait for Dad to get back." Sam said as Brynna wandered into the kitchen in one of her loose fitting summery dresses that she'd worn during her pregnancy. It hung off her now. Sam chuckled at the messy bun Brynna had pulled her hair into on top of her head.

"Happy Birthday Sam!" Brynna said, swooping towards her and hugging her, pressing a kiss to her cheek even as she cradled Charlie in her other arm.

"Thanks Mom." Sam said, smiling happily. She loved her family so much.

"Charlie wishes you a happy birthday too." Brynna said when the baby let out a small squeal.

"And how is my newest brother this morning?" Sam said, stealing the baby away from her step-mother and cradling him against her. His baby eyes peered up at her and when he smiled Sam grinned realising that he was beginning to recognise faces.

"Hello baby brother." Sam said softly, glancing up at Jake who had turned towards her and was silently watching her cradle the little boy. When their eyes met Sam's mind flashed an image of what it would be like to cradle her own baby. Jake's baby. Sam smiled at her fiancé softy.

Returning her attention to the little boy now cooing in her arms Sam giggled and tickled his tummy where his little singlet had ridden up. He kicked his legs as she tickled him.

"You're good at that." Jake told her softly after watching Sam play with the baby for ten minutes.

Sam glanced up when she heard the tinkle of breaking glass. Gram had spun towards them and apparently dropped a glass as she did so.

"Are you ok Gram?" Sam asked concernedly.

When she glanced at Brynna she found her step mother watching her and Jake as well and Sam raised her eyebrows at the pair of them.

Brynna was grinning slightly, while Gram looked slightly worried.

"Everything's fine." Gram said in an odd voice before reaching for the dustpan.

At that moment Sam heard the familiar sound of boots stomping on the porch and she began to grin when she saw Dad open the door to the house. Handing to baby to a worried looking Jake Sam got to her feet just as Dad got within reach and pulled her into a bear hug that almost crushed the life out of Sam.

"Happy birthday Sam" Dad said as he hugged her. Sam smiled, knowing that the unspoken words of his worry for her overnight were expressed in the tightness of the hug he gave her.

"Thanks Dad." Sam said as Dad let go of her and smiled down at her before he moved to hang up his hat.

"Now that we're all here…" Sam began, watching the way the eyes of Gram Dad and Brynna all met worriedly for a moment "This is for you." Sam said and she dug the cheque out of her pocket and handed it to Dad, still folded.

Dad raised an eyebrow at her before glancing at his mother and his wife again. When he opened the folded piece of paper he made a soft sound of shock.

"Shoot!" he exclaimed as he handed the cheque to his mother.

"Oh Sam, is this for Frost?" Gram asked in shock.

"Yeah. I know I said I was only going to ask for thirteen, but Mrs. Malahov insisted on paying that much. She wanted to pay me more but I wouldn't let her.

"For one darned horse." Jake said, shaking his head, clearly still appalled that anyone would pay that much for a horse.

While Dad and Gram both sunk into chairs in shock as they stared at the amount of money Sam had just presented them with, Brynna Forster mover around behind them, catching Sam's eye over their heads. Very surreptitiously Brynna brushed her finger against the small love bite on Sam's throat before nodding at Wyatt and Grace. Sam blushed just a little bit, even as she smiled and tugged the hair ties out of the end of her plaits, unwinding them and piling her mass of thick auburn hair over her shoulder, hiding the blemish effectively, knowing Dad and Gram would both disapprove of such a thing.

Brynna winked at Sam, before throwing a meaningful look towards Jake and then back to Sam. Then she raised her eyebrows questioningly and Sam just knew she was wordlessly asking if things between Sam and Jake had evolved beyond the friendship they shared after their break up. Sam smiled at her step mother and chuckled softly when Brynna narrowed her gaze for a minute, clearly yet silently asking if Sam had slept with Jake last night. Shaking her head Sam glanced at Jake, who was busy holding the baby Sam had placed in his arms.

He looked so adorable holding her baby brother as though he was afraid he might break him. Watching them Sam felt her heart melt even more for Jake Ely, so much so that she kind of wanted to blurt out that she had every intention of keeping him in her life for the rest of time.

"He's not as breakable as he looks you know." Sam told Jake softly.

"Sure he's not" Jake said sarcastically "Except for the fact that his head is smaller than my hand and he's completely helpless."

"Oh Jake, you make it obvious that you've forgotten the summer Cody was born. That child is far from helpless. Especially with the set of lungs he's got." Gram said as she went about serving lunch for everyone.

"Sure bellows when he's hungry or wants something else anyway." Wyatt said as he watched Jake Ely holding his youngest son. "Everything go ok with you two last night?"

"Te truck and trailer have a few hail dents, but other than that everything was fine." Sam said. Dad nodded, his watchful eyes darting between Sam and Jake as though expecting there to be some sign as to whether anything had happened between the two of them overnight in their little hotel room.

"Did you get the fence fixed?" Sam asked in an attempt to distract Dad as he narrowed his eyes on the two of them.

"Yeah, got it put back up. The hands are gonna ride out later to make sure nothing else went wrong." Dad said.

"Did you tell them to come over here for lunch with Sam after they washed up Wyatt?" Gram asked him as she laid a tray of chicken drumsticks on the table.

"Yeah they should be here any second. You can go ahead and open your presents if you like Sam." Dad told her, waving his hand towards the pile of presents for Sam.

"Shoot" Jake said, glancing up suddenly "I didn't think we'd have to stay the night, so your present from me is at home." Jake apologised.

Sam smiled at him wickedly "You didn't need to get me anything Jake." Sam said softly "You being home and having you here with me is enough."

Sam grinned as four pairs of eyebrows rose in shock at her words. Confusion showed on the faces of Dad, Brynna, Gram and Jake when Sam just tore into one of her presents without another word. Glancing around at each of them Cody Forster piped up happily.

"Jake and Sammy are in love you know?"


	23. Dry Lightning

**A/N: another chapter!**

Chapter 23:Dry Lightning

Three days into the cattle drive, Sam rode drag behind the slow moving sea of red cattle. Her long braided hair felt dirty, her face and clothes were covered in dust, her lips were chapped from the wind and the heat and she was getting a sunburn. And Sam couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be. Fanned out around the herd were all the people she loved and every night she got to sit around a campfire with them beneath a blanket of stars.

Since Maxine Ely and Lila Kenworthy had come along on this trip to help Gram with setting up because this muster included cattle from River Bend, Three Ponies and Harmony Ranch. The three women shared a tent, while Jen and Sam got to share a tent all to themselves and Sam couldn't help but think of the whispered conversation she had had with Jen this morning about the way Quinn had been timidly flirting with Jen for the entire muster so far. Because Jen was confused about it and Sam smiled as she pondered why. Jen was still dealing with Ryan leaving, but in spite of the five year relationship they had shared, Jen seemed to be doing ok. Sam wondered if maybe it was for the best that Jen and Ryan had broken up, since it turned out there had been more than a few cracks in the relationship anyway.

Sam had suspected for a long time that Jen and Ryan hadn't been compatible, but they had seemed happy enough so she had never mentioned it. But they were very different sometimes. Sam had known they often fought, but she knew that she fought with Jake a whole bunch, and Dad and Brynna sometimes fought too. But over the past few days Jen had told her about several instances where she and Ryan had fought and then not talked for days at a time, especially after Jen had gone to college last year. From the sounds of it, Sam thought that marriage would have been the worst idea for the pair of them.

And this morning's conversation with Jen led Sam to believe that Jen was a little shocked by Quinn's interest in her, but also that she sort of enjoyed his attention and maybe even found him funny and charming. Sam thought it might be a good sign that Jen would be able to move on from Ryan and be happier with someone more suited to her lifestyle. Because Sam knew that Quinn had had a crush on Jen for years now, but tried to forget it because Jen and Ryan had been so in love. Now with Ryan out of the picture Quinn was in his element, flirting gently but not pushing anything anymore serious than that.

Quinn and Jen really would be perfect for each other too, because Quinn wouldn't spring an engagement on Jen before she had everything she wanted to do in her life well on the way. Heck, if anything eventuated between the two of them this Summer, Quinn might even quit his job and go to college with Jen. He'd chosen not to when he finished school, content with his job here in rural Nevada, but Sam knew that if things heated up between Quinn and Jen, he'd follow her to the ends of the earth.

"You day dreamin' again?" a familiar low voice called to her softly.

Sam felt herself smile as she glanced sideways to where Jake sat astride Witch who was flicking her ears back and forth at Tempest. Tempest brushed her nose against Witch, ignoring the way the older mare stamped her hoof in indignation at being greeted so casually and Sam laughed out loud.

"You know, it's entirely your fault that Witch is so antisocial with other horses Jake." Sam told him "When she lived with me she and Tempest were best friends. And look now, you've been back a week and a half and she's turning into the bad mannered monster she was when you made me ride her that Summer."

Jake just watched her, amusement gleaming in his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." Sam said, tyring not to smile when his eyes glided over her dust covered body .

"You look kinda cute when you're all sunburnt and pouting." Jake told her softly.

Sam fought her smile as her eye scanned his familiar features. His long black hair was tied neatly at his nape and his hat sat low on his brow, shading his face and throwing shadows off his sharp cheekbones. Sam couldn't help but admire the vision he made as he sat astride Witch. He looked happy and content with sitting there in spite of the fact that Sam knew he was probably stiff and a little sore from riding all day for these last three days.

"I ain't pouting" Sam told him "I'm having the time of my life over here. You're mixing me up with that tenderfoot you used to know."

Jake grinned at her and Sam could see the warm glow of love in his eyes.

"Maybe I am, but I'd bet that you're dying for a bath?"

"Not me. I like bein' all dusty and dirty and smelling more like horse and sweat than like soap and shampoo."

Jake laughed.

"Don't I know it. I still remember that day you showed up at school after you stayed out at Mrs. Allen's looking after some pony that couldn't survive without you sleeping in the stall. You had manure on your boots, crinkled clothes and straw in your hair. And Rachel called you on it." Jake chuckled "You never looked so beautiful when you cut me outta my friends group demanding something or other with straw in your hair and that defiant gleam in your eyes."

Sam raised her eyebrows, they hadn't been together then. Though Sam recalled feeling jealous of the easy way Rachel flirted with Jake attempting to goad Sam.

"Better than when you roped me and dragged me into that water hole out on War Drum Flats because Ace was being stubborn and refused to leave. I wanted to kill you that day." Sam told him.

"You looked like the Thing from The Swamp." Jake laughed "Sputterin' and cursin'. Took everything I had not to laugh at ya."

"You do have a knack for seeing me at my worst. You even tried to drown me in the trough at River Bend to get me to Dad and Brynna's wedding on time."

"Yeah well, if you'd done what you were told and stayed put at home you wouldn't have been covered in dust and dirt from taking a fall in a stampede and I wouldn'ta had to drag your butt to the trough and get you cleaned up and lookin' respectable for a wedding I half wondered you were being bratty about."

"What? You tried to drown me as punishment because you thought I didn't want them to get married?" Sam demanded indignantly.

"Hey, til then you'd been pretty bratty about the idea of Brynna and your Dad even being friends. You were mad as a cut snake after that fire at River Bend when you saw them kissin' that first time. if I hadn'ta been standing right next to ya and still had hold of ya after you hugged me, I woulda been reachin' for my rope to keep you from turning into a dragon and spewing fire all over the pair of 'em."

"I was not that much of a Brat." Sam argued.

"Yeah you were."

"I was not. And I didn't run off on their wedding day to be mean to them and protest to the wedding. I was worried about the horses."

"Which is why I dunked you in the trough. You were running yourself ragged, and nearly got trampled in spite of how many times I told you to stay away from the mustangs, and you were makin' me look bad for not being able to do one simple job. Get the sassy thirteen year old to the church on time. But the sassy thirteen year old was too busy breakin' the rules to care about anything as important as her Dad's wedding."

"Do you ever forget anything?" Sam grumbled.

"Not about you I don't."

"Kinda liked me huh?" Sam smirked.

"Kinda. Mostly I was mad 'cause you kept putting yourself in danger on my watch."

"Hey, it's not my fault that I had no respect for your authority. You were too much of a bossy know it all." Sam teased.

"Oh I'm the bossy one?" Jake scoffed "Have you met you? Ain't never met girl who thought she could boss me around the way you try to."

"I didn't boss you around. I asked for your help sometimes."

"Yeah but with you, asking for help is still pretty bossy. Besides, you'd get this look when you were askin' me to do somethin'. Like you had complete faith that no matter how crazy the request, I'd come through for you."

Sam grinned at the grudging tone in his voice as he said that.

"But Jake, you're the hero in the story" Sam teased.

"Naw, I'm the sucker who let the princess make him feel like sayin' no to helpin' her would break her heart. And I knew that if I didn't help you, you'd rush off and try to do it all yourself and end up hurtin' yourself somehow. Kinda like you did with that damn cougar when you went ridin' off looking for it instead of waiting for me like I told you to." Jake grumbled.

Sam laughed "You are the hero of this story though Jake. Even when I ran off like that, you always came ridin' in, my knight in shining armour, there to save me from the big bad injured cougar cub and the nasty man trying to hog tie me and leave me in the middle of nowhere."

"Never felt like a knight in shining armour. More like the pissed off guy wanting to tear things apart for trying to mess with me girl."

"I wasn't your girl back then Jake." Sam reminded him.

Jake's mustang eyes Sam's blue one for several long moments.

"Brat, you've always been my girl."

Sam smiled softly at that and couldn't keep from reaching over and taking Jake's free hand, intertwining her fingers with his.

"That mean you've always been mine?" She asked him softly.

"Since I peered down at the bundle wrapped in pink kicking her legs about and lookin' up at me with those eyes."

"Yeah right" Sam rolled her eyes "You once told me that I'd been a mosquito in a past life, which was why I was so annoying and along buzzing around you."

Jake laughed at the memory.

"That's 'cause you've always been a pest."

"Hey I can buzz off if I'm such a pest to you." Sam said.

"We're making camp soon." Jake said softly, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand as he held it. "But if you ever try to buzz off I'll be tracking your butt down and dragging you right back home to me."

Jake gave her hand a squeeze before letting go of her and tugging his hat down before reining Witch away to pass on the message about the stopping for the night soon to the rest of the riders fanned out around the sea of cattle.

Tempest flicked her ears, waiting for directions from Sam to follow Jake and Witch or do anything other than just plodding along behind the herd, an Sam rubbed her hand against Tempest's warm neck and murmuring to her about being such a good girl.

Jake's words had left her feeling warm and fuzzy and Sam couldn't help thinking back to the other night. The night of her birthday, everyone had turned up at River Bend to celebrate her birthday. Sam had tried to insist that a party wasn't necessary, but Gram had ignored her protests, as had everyone else, insisting that they all loved her and wanted to make her happy. Sam had been touched by the affection they all felt for her, but all night she had been distracted by Jake.

Cody's announcement of Sam and Jake being in love at the lunch table had been met by surprise on behalf of her family, mostly because Dad really had no idea how serious things had been between Jake and Sam the summer before Jake went to college. Gram had been unsurprised though she had looked even more worried about Sam having spent a night alone in a hotel room with Jake. Brynna had just smiled knowingly. Jake had smiled too and held his ground when Wyatt Forster had landed a hard stare on him.

But no one had said a word about it. Instead they had eaten lunch and Sam and Jake had talked about the rodeo and Mrs Malahov and Frost and how Sam had won a 'voucher' for winning the cutting event. No one mentioned Cody's proclamation even when everyone else started arriving.

Still riding drag Sam smiled and let her eyes slide closed for a moment as she remembered the gift Jake had given her. He'd called Maxine before the rest of the Ely's came to visit and asked her to bring Sam's present from him with her. But the entire night he had refused to give it to her until he dragged her out to the barn and pressed it into her hands.

Sam still couldn't believe what he'd given her. It was a Photo printer. The type that she could plug her digital camera into and print off the hundreds of photos she always took without having to drive into Darton and pay to get them printed at the mall. Sam couldn't keep the smile off her face at the way she had thrown herself into his arms and kissed him until both of them had swollen lips and had to stop to catch their breath.

Slowly Sam rode into camp and unsaddled Tempest, letting her loose in the make shift corral that already housed several of the other horses. Dusk had begun to fall and Sam knew she wasn't the only one who was hungry and tired after the third day spent in the hot sun. Jen fell into step beside Sam and Sam gave her weary looking friend a tired smile.

"Howdy partner." Sam grinned, realising that much like Jake would be, Jen was also feeling stiff and sore after three days in the saddle when she had spent the year away at college in Montana. "How ya doin'?"

"Starving. And I need to wash my face. Though looking at you I think you might be in need of warm water more than me." Jen replied. Sam smiled. She knew her friend was tired and cranky and longing for the hot tub in that big mansion back at Harmony ranch but Jen would never admit it.

"Yeah, ridin' drag means I get nice and pretty." Sam chuckled as she reached the supply van and dug around in it for a billy to warm a little water over the crackling campfire.

"Oh Sam, Jen honey, look at the two of you." Maxine said when Sam carried the billy of water over to where Maxine was poking at steaks and biscuits that were cooking on a portable hot plate standing in the flames. Lila stood nearby peeling potatoes and Gram was heating a huge pot of stew.

"Long day Baby?" Lila asked Jen softly as Jen blew at strands of her hair that had come loose of their plaits in frustration.

"It's not over yet." Jen replied. Sam grinned when she saw Jed Kenworthy nod out the corner of her eye.

"We were hoping to find a little space to heat this enough that we might be able to budge some of the range that's taking up residence on our faces" Sam said, still feeling chipper and happy because no matter how hard they might be working, she still wouldn't trade this life for anything.

"You're going to need more than a little hot water for that Sam honey." Maxine smiled. Gram laughed too and as she slid over her pot of stew to make space for them, she handed Sam a bar of soap out of her pocket.

"See if you can do anything honey. You both look like walking blackboard dusters with all that chalky dust over you." Gram smiled, moving to pat Sam cheek before staying her hand when she realised she would end up covered in dust too if she did.

"Thanks Gram."

Sam poked her finger into the water after a few minutes and found it nice and warm.

"Come on partner, we better not make a mud puddle here by the campfire." Sam said, nudging Jen who looked to almost be asleep. Jen followed Sam wearily as she led the way to a quite spot by a tree and sat on a nice rock, shuffling over to make room for Jen too. Sam made sure she picked somewhere far enough away that no one would overhear them talking and as she dipped her hands into the warm water and scrubbed it against her dusty face Sam sighed happily.

She watched Jen do the same after taking off her glasses.

"How you doin' for real Jen?" Sam asked softly as Jen took a deep, shaky breath in.

"Sam I think that college is bad for my cowgirl image." Jen said "I've spent my life in the saddle but being away from it pretty much all year has made me soft. I'm sore in places I didn't know I could be sore. And I'm so sick of having to stop and clean my glasses every hour or so. I was doing it more but I found that I can still see if I let it build up a while. I should have bought my old pair. These ones are going to be scratched by the time we get home."

Sam gave her a sympathetic look.

"You're supposed to night hawk tonight." Sam reminded her gently "But you look terrible, no offense. And I know you're not sleeping properly these days. Who's supposed to wake you tonight? Adam?"

Jen nodded wearily.

"When he does, wake me and I'll do it instead. You seriously need to rest partner." Sam offered.

"Oh Sam I can't ask you to do that. You night hawked last night. You'll be dead in the saddle tomorrow if you do it again tonight." Jen argued softly.

"Jen honey, I'm not letting you do it tonight. You're not used to this much riding since you went to college. I'll be doing us all a favour if you sleep tonight."

Jen looked like she was going to argue some more.

"Look partner, I'm pretty good at functioning on next to no sleep. I spent too many nights these last four years awake well into the early hours of the morning only to be up and alert again by the time the sun comes up. I'm used to sleepless nights. They're like second nature, what with Jake leaving and my mind forever trying to process why he didn't explain why he left me, as well as two kid brothers. You may pull an all nighter to study every now and then, but I do this most every day. Having something to do while I'm awake is better than both of us being awake while you could still be sleeping."

Jen still looked worried.

"Ok, but I'm definitely paying you back somehow." Jen murmured.

"Jen….."Sam started, wondering whether or not she should keep talking "If you don't want to answer my next question then I understand. But how are you doing with the other stuff?"

Jen looked at Sam with sad eyes.

"I miss him, Sam. I wasn't ready to marry him but I did love him. These past ten days have been like torture, but mostly because I feel like everything I picture when I think of us together, has some flaw in it. Something that I ignored because I loved him but now can't seem to forget. I still miss him and I still love him, but I feel like I did the right thing refusing his proposal and he did the right thing by breaking up with me." Jen said.

She looked close to tears as she admitted that and Sam dragged her blonde haired friend to her feet and pulled her into a bear hug as the first little sob escaped Jen's control.

"It's all going to be ok. I promise it will be." Sam murmured over and over again while Jen buried her face on Sam's shoulder and cried. No doubt she felt guilty just for thinking that the break up was the right thing, and admitting it out loud couldn't have been easy.

Finally Jen pulled herself back together and when she pulled away from Sam she looked embarrassed about crying like this.

"Come on partner, you gotta wash your face again. You're all dusty and dirty again." Sam said, sitting Jen down on the rock against and pulling the rag she had stolen out of the supply van to wash Jen's face for her.

When she was done, Sam washed her own again and then tore the rag in half so that she and Jen could each dip the rag in the water and try to wash their arms and necks clean of dust and dirt and sweat. Sam took extra time to wash her arm pits because when she'd lifted Tempest's saddle off earlier she'd just about keeled over from the smell of herself.

"Can you tell I've been crying?" Jen asked softly as they made their way back to camp.

"Not really, you're eyes are a little red, but if anyone asks it's from having to squint through dirty glasses all day." Sam smiled at her friend. They had both re-plaited their hair as well as washing up and Sam was surprised at how much better she felt for just having done those few things.

"Well now…." A familiar voice drawled "How do you suppose two such fine lookin' cowgirls can manage to ride all day and still look as pretty as magnolias in May come quittin' time?" Quinn Ely sat on a log with a mug in his hand and his hat pulled down over his eyes watching them walk back into camp.

"Don't you know a girl don't give away her beauty secrets Quinn Ely?" Sam drawled right back at him with a smile. It was nice that she wasn't the only one still in good spirits this far into the cattle drive.

"I don't want beauty secrets, I wanna know how to avoid all that dust. I feel like a hen who's taken one too many dust baths" Quinn said.

"Even God doesn't deign to mar the beauty of girls like me and Sam, Quinn Ely. Besides, a dust bath might help you get rid of some of those fleas you've been harbouring." Jen said, surprising Sam with the flirting tone in her voice.

Sam wandered off as the pair continued to flirt with each other, searching for food and for Jake. Her two priorities now that she was clean and her horses were fed and safe. Gram handed her a mug full of stew when Sam appeared in front of her and Sam smiled her thanks.

"Do you know where Jake is Gram?" Sam asked her.

Gram just quirked an eyebrow at Sam before peering at something over Sam's shoulder.

Sam glanced over her shoulder as well and found Jake standing directly behind her.

"Sneakin' up on me, Cowboy?"

"You want to help me water the horses?" Jake asked her softly when Sam smiled at him.

"Sure. Gram, could you look after this until we come back?" Sam asked her grandmother, holding out her mug of stew.

"Give it to Wyatt as you pass him." Gram said as she bustled about filling more mugs and bowls with stew for the hungry cowboys.

Sam followed behind Jake, enjoying the sound of his spurs chiming with each step he took and she handed Dad her mug of stew as she walked past him, earning her a grateful smile from the range weary cowboy.

Jake beat Sam to the corral and had already begun snapping lead ropes onto halters when Sam joined him. Sam followed suit in silence, catching Ace and Tempest and Strawberry and Jeepers Creepers and Tank and Blue Wings and Buff and leading them all out of the corral. They were a lively bunch for the most part. With only half of them weary from their day on the range and the other half running high spirits after a day spent being ferried across the range in the horse trailer. While Sam had caught all of River Bend Ranch's horses, Jake had caught all the horses belonging to the Three Ponies Ranch and led them out of the corral behind Sam, having a slightly harder time of it because both Witch and Chip were in bad tempers this afternoon.

Sam glanced around to see if Jen was nearby in the hopes that her best friend would take Harmony Ranch's horses to water as well but Jen was still chatting animatedly with Quinn. Sam made a mental note to take the rest of the horses for water if they hadn't been watered by the time she and Jake got back.

Sam and Jake walked in companionable silence as they led the horses to water and Sam noticed that Jake seemed strange this evening. Agitated and irritable as though he wasn't just tired but maybe a little cranky. They were still at the water hole when dusk fell and the darkness of the night began to creep over everything in an ominous sort of way.

"Jake are you ok?" Sam asked softly when she noticed his eyes were unfocused as he looked off into the distance.

"Hmmm?" Jake glanced at her, still looking like he was lost in thought.

Sam raised her eyebrows in confusion. Jake had never been like this. He was always watchful and alert. But now he seemed distracted, as though his mind was far away.

Sam didn't know if the horses were just picking up on his mood as they began to mill around nervously but they too seemed restless. The subtle shift might have been ignored if Sam wasn't so attuned to Jake's weirdness and to her horses. Sam glanced around worriedly as the hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle.

"Can't you feel that?" jakes asked her softly, his eyes closed and his hair tossing in the sudden breeze.

"Something's wrong Jake." Sam murmured softly as goose flesh raced across her skin and a coyote howled in the distance. "We need to get the horse back or they're going to make a break for it."

Jake looked over at Sam and nodded.

The wind picked up as they led the horses quickly back towards the corral and just as Sam had loosed Ace from his lead rope, dry lightning lit the night sky with an ear splitting Bang! Sam jumped at the sound and there in the glow of the lightning he reared wildly.

The Phantom had found them and as She watched him rear she couldn't help think that it was almost like he was daring the storm to come down hard. When his hooves touched the ground again he flipped his forelock out of his eyes and Sam could almost sweat he was trying to beckon her to him, as though he wanted something from her. Wanted her to follow him somewhere.

Before Sam could even take a step towards him though, an awful sound broke the sudden silence.

"WYATT? GRACE? SAM?" Brynna's panicked voice screamed through the radio in the supply van "KIT? IS THERE ANYBODY THERE?"

Sam's heart squeezed at the panic and frustration in Brynna's voice and even as she moved towards camp Dad skidded to a stop and picked up the radio.

"What is it B? What's wrong?" his voice was loud and strong and though Sam could tell he was worried and maybe a little bit scared, he sounded strong and like he could handle whatever problem had her shouting through the radio like that.

"Oh Wyatt it's all my fault. They begged me all morning to drive them up to where you would be camping tonight but I said no. I thought they must just be out playing but it got later and later and I've looked everywhere."

Brynna sounded like she was bordering on hysteria and in the pause between her speaking and Dad intending to reply, the scream of the silver stallion Sam loved so much drew her attention. Demanding she acknowledge him, that she heed him and follow him. Sam could feel in her heart that something was terribly wrong. It had to be. How else could she explain the sudden storm that had snuck up on them in the last half hour? How could she explain Brynna screaming for them in panic? If something wasn't wrong there was no way the Phantom would come to Sam and demand her presence like this in front of everyone else. He usually only came to her like this when she was alone.

"Brynna what's happened?" Dad asked, this time with a hard edge in his voice. Before she could respond though, the sky above them cracked wide open and rain began to fall. Sam's heart seized in her chest for a moment even as she moved towards the insistent stallion because he wouldn't be here if he didn't need her for something immediately. As Sam got closer and closer to the phantom he began to trot towards her and Brynna's voice came through the radio again loud and clear.

"Oh they must have tried to ride out and find you by themselves. They've taken Poncho. Wyatt, Cody and Tia are missing!"


	24. Over The Hill and Far Away

**A/N: Cherubs! Look look look i have another new chapter for you! Aren't you pleased? I also have some other news. I have started writing another Phantom Stallion fic, this time as a continuation on from the 24th book, it actually starts directly where the last book left off. It'll sort of be like a prequel to this story and I'm hoping you'll all love it. However, before you begin madly searching for it, in spite of having written the first couple of chapters last night, i'm not going to post it until i have at least the first ten written. I also advise all of you to re-read the actual Phantom Stallion series for the full effect of feeling like Terri Farley didn't give up on Sam and Jake. I'm also going to be trying to get some more chapters posted for Take the Tumble and Them Boys. But I hope all of you will be on the look out for me newest Phantom Stallion fanfic, _Two Strong Arms. _ Anyways, pretty please review and tell me what you think. Much love to everyone. xx-Kittenshift17. **

Chapter 24: Over the Hill and Far Away

Jake Ely watched the world around him with a fascinated sense of horror. Because moments ago everything had been just fine in the world and now chaos ruled. The sky crackled with lightning and the wicked booms of thunder rang in his ears, resonating like the words Brynna Forster had just yelled through the two-way radio, saying that four year old Cody Forster and three year old Tianna Ely had taken off on a Shetland pony named Poncho and were nowhere to be found. Horror filled him at the thought of such young children lost in this storm, but the real horror was the look on his eldest brother's face at hearing his daughter was missing. Kit Ely looked not only devastated, but like this news just might break him.

Horses nickered nervously in their corral but Jake barely noticed them or the lowing herd of red cattle they had been driving for the past three days. Because his eyes had landed on the one person he cared about more than anything and his heart stopped at what he saw. Sam hadn't paused when she learned that her kid brother and Tia Ely had run off on Poncho because she was already jogging towards the silver stallion who had once been her little colt as he nickered and whinnied for her attention.

Jake watched as Samantha Forster slowed to a walk and let the majestic silver Phantom horse trot the rest of the way towards her. Over the pounding of the rain and the howl of the wind Jake couldn't make out the words Sam said to the stallion as he stopped in front of her and struck his front hoof against the ground, flipping his forelock up and down. When her hands brushed against the silvery hide Jake held his breath.

But his heart completely stopped as a strike of lightning revealed a scene Jake had never wanted to see. The phantom had once been Sam's little colt and the first time Sam had ridden him, she's mounted in the waters of La Charla. But here in front of everyone, on the dusty range of the high Nevada desert, the phantom stood in the pose Jake recognised as one that would allow Sam to mount up and ride him now.

"Samantha Forster don't you dare!" Wyatt Forster's voice was cold and hard as Sam slid her hands into the silvery mane of the phantom and Sam glanced over her shoulder at her father, knowing he was stressed and worried enough about Cody and Tia without her causing him any further worry.

But Sam knew that the phantom would not come to her like this and ask her to ride him outside the river or their secret valley without a very good reason. Her heart went out to her father's plight and Sam knew she would be in all sorts of trouble for this, but as thunder boomed in the sky above their heads Sam's eyes landed on Jake Ely for just a moment. His expression through the darkness was one of horror but in his eyes Sam could see that he understood that Sam wouldn't heed anyone but the stallion she loved in this moment.

The entire group of cowboys gasped as Samantha Forster vaulted onto the back of the wild white stallion and clung on for dear life as he rose into a rear just as lightning struck. The scream of the stallion rang out and Sam clamped her thighs tight and clung to the phantom as he dropped back to four legs and burst into a gallop so fast that Sam could barely make out the expression on her father's face or on her fiancés as she disappeared into the storm.

Jake didn't say a word as he watched Sam disappear on that grey stud. Instead he walked calmly towards the horse corral loosing the short sharp whistle he used to call Witch and caught two black mares, not bothering with saddling them, just putting a bridle on each of them before he too vaulted onto Witch's back.

Witch's ears twitched at the signals Jake gave her, tapping his boot heels to her sides and asking her to trot into the storm, ponying Tempest along with them.

"Jake, where are you goin'?" Kit's voice called. "How are we supposed to find the kids if you ride after a crazy lady instead of heading back to the house and tracking them?"

Jake watched his eldest brother for a moment, before his gaze flicked towards Wyatt Forster. Wyatt's jaw was set and his eyes were hard as he fought down his worry for both of his children for being lost in this storm.

"Only one reason that stud would let Sam ride him here in front of us Kit." Jake said before nodding at his brother and at Wyatt and turning back towards the trail the phantom's hooves had left in the now slick dirt of the Calico Mountains. Clucking his tongue at Witch, Jake set off in the hopes of finding Samantha and Cody Forster as well as his niece before anything bad could happen to them this time.

Sam clung to the phantom's neck, her arms wrapping around him tightly and her legs clamped around his warm, wet barrel as he galloped through the wildest storm Sam had seen in this part of her world in a long time. The hail storm had been bad, but Sam had a feeling that tonight's storm was going to be a whole lot worse than that one had been.

"Where are you taking me boy?" Sam asked her stallion, watching the way his ears flicked back at the sound of her voice moments before he put on a new burst of speed and an ominous strike of lightning struck overhead. Part of her was beginning to wonder if this was just a little bit crazy, her brother and her soon to be niece were both missing. They were just children. And they had taken off on Poncho, a little Shetland pony with an extreme fear of storms. If they were really somewhere out lost in this storm then Sam suspected that by now Cody and Tia would be afoot because Poncho would have bucked them off in his fear before heading for home, the only place where he knew he was safe from the terror of such a storm.

Yet here she was, racing through the darkness, rain stinging her face as she squinted against the nasty drops in the hopes of catching sight of some familiar land mark. Because as she and the phantom barrelled headlong into the night, Sam had began to think that maybe this time it had been a crazy idea to leap onto her favourite horse's back and run off when the little boy she loved more than anything in the world was lost and probably hurt.

"Where are you taking me Zanzibar? What's happened that you need me so badly that you came to me in front of everyone?" Sam asked again, clinging tighter when the silver stallion swerved around a large cluster of boulders.

As they raced further and further from the cowboy camp, Sam noticed that the rain was beginning to let up just a little bit, and in spite of the stallion galloping beneath her, Sam slowly loosened her grip around his neck and clung to his mane, sitting up and peering around. And that's when the sight she never ever wanted to see met her eyes.

Just like they had done when Buddy had been just a calf and had wandered off because Sam foolishly left her in a pasture with the rails down, coyotes had begun their game designed to weaken their prey as they darted in and out, glistening silver beneath the moon that had just begun to peek out from behind the storm clouds. Only this time instead of a frightened and confused calf in Sam's care, they had chosen prey that was much dearer to her heart.

Cody, Tia and Poncho were pressed up against a fence and three coyotes toyed with them, yipping to each other as they darted in close before dancing out of reach as her kid brother swung at them with a piece of wood. Poncho was backed up against the fence and his eyes were rolling, showing the whites in his terror, not only of the coyotes that kept trying to nip at his velvety nose which was already dripping blood, but also at the thunder and lightning that still cracked all around them. Tia Ely had hold of his reins beneath his chin and he looked to almost pull her small arms from their sockets as he kept trying to throw his head out of the reach of the coyotes nipping teeth. Tia herself had torn her jeans over both of her knees and in spite of the rain that soaked them all, Sam could see the blood where Tia had clearly torn the skin open on her knees as well.

Her long dark hair was plastered to her face and Sam noticed the way she kept trying to brush it back from her face. There was an awkwardness to the movement and Sam prayed that Tia hadn't broken her arm in the fall from the saddle.

Cody on the other hand, he held one of his arms cradled to his chest even while he struck out with a lump of wood that Sam recognised as a cut off from one of the fences posts. One of the coyotes yelped and backed off as the chunk of wood swatted his sensitive nose. Cody's jeans were torn as well and his hat had fallen off his head and hung on its stampede string down his back. He didn't look to be bleeding but as Sam and the phantom galloped closer Sam realised that her brother had his jaw set against tears that threatened and noticed the odd angle of her brother's arm bones.

Sam felt herself scream angrily, but almost didn't hear it over the scream of the stallion she rode. Hooves pounded more ferociously than the thunder as the phantom charged the coyotes that threatened Cody, Tia and Poncho and when they saw him coming the coyotes yapped before taking off. The phantom raced after them, no doubt set on punishing them for threatening the children and Sam realised that in her wild stallion's mind, Cody probably counted as Sam's foal since he followed her around all day and she probably always smelled like him.

Since the phantom counted Sam among what was his, perhaps he had begun to count Cody as his too because of Cody's connection to Sam.

When the phantom felt he had driven the troublesome coyotes far enough away, he circled in a wide arc back to where Cody and Tia and Poncho now huddled. As soon as he slowed enough that Sam could leap off his back, she launched herself towards the ground, somehow managing to keep her feet beneath her even as she started to run towards the kids.

"Sammy!" Cody bawled, tears now leaking down his face. As Sam swooped towards them she realised Tia was crying too and in her pounding heart Sam realised that as terrified as she had been for them, they would be going out of their minds with fear. It wasn't every day coyotes tried to eat them and they got bucked off their horse in the middle of a freak storm.

"Are you both alright?" Sam asked as she skidded to a stop in front of them.

That's when they both lost it. Breaking into hysteric sobs, Cody and Tia both latched onto Sam's legs and cried out their terror and pain.

"Are you hurt?" Sam asked them, bending down and wrapping them both into a cuddle, even as she snagged a hold of Poncho's reins.

Wordlessly they both nodded against her.

"I think Cody broke his arm." Tia sniffled as she clung to Sam's neck.

Sam took a deep breath, trying to get her own fear under control so she could deal with this.

"What about you Tia, are you hurt besides your skinned knees?" Sam asked her while Cody buried his face against her chest.

"My wrist hurts too." Tia said "It not as bad as Cody's though, he grabbed me when Poncho started to buck and when we fell off he still had hold of me."

"Codester are you ok?" Sam asked her little brother as he cried softly.

He shook his little head and Sam sighed. She was just about to lift them both up and stand when Sam felt lips whuffling at her hair.

The phantom nibbled at her hair and Sam realised that his gesture asked her if all was well, just the way he would nuzzle against one of his mares if her foal had been threatened. In normal circumstances he would sniff the foal too, but since these two little humans looked nothing like his foals and the only human he trusted was Sam, he stuck to sniffing Sam.

"Hey boy." Sam murmured, slowly getting to her feet and lifting both sobbing children with her. "Thanks for coming to get me. If you hadn't…." Sam turned slowly towards the phantom, but couldn't reach out and pat him since she supported Tia in one arm and Cody in the other. The phantom backed off a few steps when she turned, seeing how different she looked with two noisy humans clinging to her. But as Sam met his beautiful eyes he flipped his forelock before very slowly walking back towards her. He stopped three feet away but extended his nose towards her. Sam smiled when he pushed his velvet nose all the way towards her until he sniffed her face, and when he didn't spook away from her Sam leant forwards and pressed a soft kiss to the end of his nose.

"Thank you boy. I love you so much." Sam told him, even as he backed away again "Go on, your herd probably needs you in this storm boy."

With the soft nicker Sam had come to believe was her stallion's way of saying 'I love you too', the majestic wild stallion that sometimes seemed more ghost horse than flesh and bone, wheeled and raced away into the darkness, leaving Sam alone with a panicked pony and two distraught children.

She was almost tempted to try and sit them both back on Poncho rather than carrying them both, so that she could just lead Poncho, but when she glanced at the pony she found him tugging at the end of his reins, trying to break free and race away from the storm as thunder boomed overhead. She didn't want to risk even trying to get either of the kids back on the pony when Poncho was more than likely to just buck them right off again.

Sam began walking back the way she and the phantom had come, picking out his hoof prints in the muddy ground, singing softly to the crying kids she cuddled and the spooked pony reluctantly following along behind her. She had just begun to wonder how far she could carry the two of them and how far she and the phantom had galloped from the camp when Sam heard a noise that had her peering through the rain curiously.

And there, loping towards them was a sight that had Sam grinning from ear to ear in spite of the fact that her kid brother and almost-niece had nearly been a meal for the coyotes and had been badly hurt in the process. Because loping towards them, sitting deep in the saddle and swinging with the ease of a lifelong cowboy, was Sam's knight in shining spurs and chinks, wearing his big black hat astride his handsome black horse.

"Jake!" Sam called, making sure he had seen them.

"Easy there Brat, everything alright?" Jake asked as he slowed Witch and Tempest to a walk before jumping down and striding swiftly towards them.

"No, I think Cody's broken his arm. Tia's got ripped up jeans, skinned knees and probably a sprained wrist. And poor little Poncho is scared to death but I don't think I've been happier to see you in my entire life."

Jake just grinned at her as he took a sobbing Tia from Sam and cuddled the little girl close.

"Yeah? Even when old Flick had you hog tied and was gonna leave you out in the middle of nowhere for me to find?" Jake drawled at her.

"Well, maybe then, but this comes a close second."

Jake grinned at her.

"We better get these kids back so they can call off the search party and get them both to a doctor." Jake said.

Sam nodded and sat Cody up on Tempest's back before leaping up behind him, still clutching Poncho's reins. Sam watched Jake try to do the same with Tia, though he had a little more trouble because Tia had locked her arms around Jake's neck and her leg around his chest and refused to let go. Since she didn't have any broken bones Jake just shrugged at Sam before letting the little girl cling to him as he vaulted onto Witch's back.

When they rode into camp Gram immediately took up the radio hand piece and shouted that the kids had been found. Jake barely had time to climb off Witch before Kit was there prying his daughter off her uncle and pulling her tight against his chest. Sam smiled at them both as Tia let loose a fresh batch of wailing sobs when she realised she finally had her daddy there, making her safe again.

Dad and Gram rushed Sam as she lifted a still crying Cody down from Tempest's back and cradled him like he was still a baby.

"I think he's got a broken arm." Sam cautioned them, nodding her head towards the oddly aligned bones in Cody's arms as he cradled it close to his chest.

Just as Dad opened his mouth to speak and moved to take Cody from Sam, Cody spoke up "I love you Sammy. I'm sorry." After that he cried some more and Sam kissed his forehead, telling him she loved him too.

"Dad, Gram, Kit…. Everyone else…." Sam began as Dad took Cody and cuddled him gently, avoiding jostling Cody's sore arm, "When we found them, they were backed up to fence being harried by coyotes. Poncho's got a tear on his nose from where the coyotes nipped him. Tia will have a really sore shoulder since she was trying to keep hold of him so he wouldn't bolt, and Cody was fighting the coyotes off with a lump of wood. Poncho bucked them off when the storm started. Tia has skinned knees and probably a sprained wrist. Cody has a broken arm. They both need to go to the hospital before they go into shock anymore than they have, before we do any scolding."

Sam watched the faces of the people she loved stare at her in horror as they realised that not only had there been the possibility of the kids getting sick or hurt as they had by running off, but there had also been a high chance that if not for the phantom, both of them would have become coyote chow.

"Are you hurt Sam?" Gram asked softly even while she clutched at Wyatt's arms, peering at Cody.

"Naw. I didn't do anything but carry these guys maybe a half mile. The phantom drove the coyotes off and found the kids, and Jake saved the day by coming after me." Sam said, rubbing the back of her neck, suddenly uncomfortable with the way everyone was watching her.

"Dallas do you think can hold down the fort here while we get these kids to hospital?"Dad asked his foreman. Dallas just nodded.

"Kit, jump in the van with Tia there and we'll get these kids to hospital and get them checked out properly." Dad said, taking control of the situation now that his children were safe and sound.

"Daddy the coyote bit me. One got Cody too." Tia sniffled, calming down now that she was safe in her daddy's arms.

"I'm gonna put Poncho in the horse trailer where he'll be less frightened by the storm." Sam said to no one in particular. She smiled when Jake silently fell into step beside her, slinging his arm around her shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze.

"And as for you Jacob Ely," Sam said loudly catching everyone's attention again, even Dad and Kit's. Sam grinned up at Jake's confused expression, realising there was something else she needed to do today. Something that was going to really make her family mad at her, but was going to make her cowboy hero the happiest man alive. Sam stopped walking and turned to face him properly, springing up on her toes to peck him on his surprised lips.

"Well, it's a good thing we're already engaged Jake…. Because I don't ever want to live without you looking out for me again. I love you Cowboy."


	25. It Took a Woman

**A/N: Many apologies for taking so long. I got caught up in my other stories and then i had finals and i moved out of college and in with my boyfriend. He is a terrible distraction but I finally have a chapter for you. This story is almost at an end i'm afraid my cherubs, But don't be alarmed, I have a new Phantom Stallion story waiting in the wings for you all to enjoy. It will be a kind of prequel to Wild Things, starting right at the end of Book 24 and detailing Sam and Jake's relationship until the Fall when Jake goes away to college. It's called Two Strong Arms so keep an eye out for it. I promise not to post it until i finish Wild Things first though. =) Pretty please review and tell me what you though of the chapter and the story as a whole. Much love xx-Kitten**

**Chapter 25: It Took a Woman.**

Jake Ely felt his jaw drop to hear Sam admit in front of everyone that they were engaged. And at a time like this when Wyatt and Kit needed to get Cody and Tia off to a doctor! He wasn't a bit surprised that she would be difficult about it and pick some inopportune time to tell everyone they were engaged, but he was surprised that she'd done it right now.

"You really would, wouldn't you?" he accused her just as he had done the night she'd proposed to him. "You really would announce it in front of everyone like this, when Wyatt and Kit need to be gettin' to hospital." Sam gave him one of those wicked little grins that said she knew she was causing mischief and didn't care a bit.

"What's the matter cowboy? Don't you want people knowin' that you want to spend your life with a crazy lady?" she teased softly.

Everyone around them was staring and Jake just knew that they were all wondering whether or not they'd heard her right. He narrowed his eyes on the girl he loved. Her eyes were shining with happiness and mischief but Jake could see the gleam of the high she felt from having ridden the Phantom through the middle of a thunderstorm as well.

"What was that, you just said?" Wyatt Forster's voice cut through the silence as he strode back towards Sam and Jake. Sam cringed a little, suddenly thinking it might've been better to announce their engagement when she was maybe wearing the ring Jake kept hinting he'd like to give to her, perhaps at a time when her kid brother wasn't in pain from a broken arm and in need of a trip to hospital.

"Samantha!?" Wyatt demanded as he strode towards them, clearly not liking the way she was suddenly shifting from foot to foot nervously. Jake snorted softly, dipping his head so that Wyatt wouldn't see his tom-cat smile at knowing how nervous Sam suddenly was.

"Now you done it Brat." Jake murmured.

Jake watched Sam take his words as a dare and grinned when Sam suddenly looked up, squaring her shoulders as she met her father nervous, worried gaze.

"Dad, Gram….. erm…. Luke and Maxine you better listen too….." Sam began, nervously rubbing the back of her neck as she turned to see everyone staring at them. "Um…. Well…. We been meaning to tell y'all somethin'…."

Jake watched Sam struggle for a moment before he reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze, silently telling her stop.

"I know y'all need to be gettin' these kids to a hospital" Jake began, suddenly finding himself just as nervous as Sam "But if you wait just a minute, there's something y'all need to see since Samantha has a tendency to put her foot in her mouth."

Sam raised her eye brows as Jake led her by the hand over towards the campfire before releasing her and going over to dig in one of his saddlebags for something.

"Samantha what the heck is goin' on?" Dad growled, clearly not liking the delay.

"Um…. Well like I said…. Erm… Jake and I have a little announcement. I know it's rubbish timing but, well…." Sam stuttered out not taking her eyes off Jake for fear that she might bolt if she caught sight of Dad's expression again. Part of her could tell that many around them expected what Sam guessed was about to happen, and Sam wondered idly how everyone was going to react to the news. She could feel Dad and Gram's eyes boring into her, silently willing her to look at either of them but Sam suddenly found that she couldn't have taken her eyes off Jake even if she wanted to.

The campfire hissed and crackled as a few spots of rain hit it and Sam suddenly noticed that though lightning and thunder cracked overhead, only a few stray raindrops fell here. She was drenched to the bone from the ride through the storm, as was Jake as he slowly began to walk back towards them. He had his hat dipped forwards and his head down so Sam couldn't see his face but she could tell from the way he strode so purposefully, placing each foot heavily and deliberately, that he was nervous to finally be doing this in front of everyone.

"Jake…?" Maxine's voice asked in wonder and Sam noticed out the corner of her eye the way Maxine suddenly shuffled closer that she looked excited. Sam shuffled her feet nervous where she stood a little off to the side of the campfire amid the group of family and friends that and formed a loose circle around Sam as Jake walked towards her.

One of Jake's fists were clenched around something and Sam held her breath tipping her head back to look up into Jake's wild mustang eyes. Everything around her suddenly came into sharp focus in that moment of stillness. The horses in the corral snorted and nickered softly, thunder and lightning boomed and crackled in the sky, cattle lowed to each other and the people gathered around Samantha Forster and Jake Ely seemed to quiver with anticipation. But as Sam stared into Jake's wild brown eyes, all of that dimmed, fading to background noise.

Beneath the brim of Jake's hat, his face was cast in shadow but for the light from the crackling fire yet Sam couldn't help the way her lips began to twitch as she saw the way he smiled at her. Butterflies were running riot in her tummy and Sam suddenly felt like she had the day Jake had first asked her to be his date to the school Dance. Nervous and curious and just a little bit love-struck.

"You don't know how long I been wantin' to do this" Jake murmured to her softly as he smiled his love at her. Sam let out a nervous little giggle, knowing everyone was watching them and straining to hear every word Jake said. Jake didn't seem to mind as he slowly reached out and caught hold of her left hand.

"Oh my!" Gram gasped when Jake slowly lowered himself down onto one knee in front of Sam. Sam bit her bottom lip even as her smile threatened to break her face it was so wide. Jake's hand was warm in hers and Sam couldn't focus on anything but the way Jake's head tipped up so he could look her in the eyes. The firelight threw his Shoshone Indian features into sharp focus, his high cheek bone, and strong jaw glowing mahogany in the firelight. But those eyes that Sam had always been such a sucker for, mustang eyes, were so wild and full of love for her that Sam felt completely captivated by how beautiful and perfect Jake was to her.

"Samantha" Jake's voice was low and but strong and Sam smiled realising that his fear of becoming tongue tied was completely gone as he knelt before her "You've been my constant companion since the day I stuck my big head over the edge of your crib at three years old. I've spent my life fallin' in love with you every time I look at you and see you pullin' some new crazy stunt…. I've been in love with you a long time Brat, and only you know how long I been wanting to ask you this. I want to spend the rest of my life with you right there by my side. I love you, Samantha Ann. Will you marry me?"

Not once did Jake stutter or stammer. He didn't even blink as he stared into her eyes with so much love and hope that Sam felt her soul rush out and mesh with his even more than it already had, tying them together in the same irrevocable way a marriage would. Her heart was hammering in her chest as Jake slowly let go of her hand so he could open up the fuzzy ring box he'd shown her two weeks ago and hold it out flat on his palm.

The ring nestled inside stole Sam's breath away and she knew immediately why Jake had said that it was the perfect ring for her. It was gold, twined from a solid band into the shape of two horse shoes wrapping around each other. Nestled in the tiny groove where they linked was a little diamond that sparkled in the firelight. It was beautiful and Sam's ring finger tingled to feel the metal against her skin. Dragging her eyes away from the ring, Sam knew that Jake couldn't have picked a better one had he gone to a jeweller and had a ring made for her.

Sam looked into the eyes of the man who been her best friend her whole life and felt like her heart would surely explode with how much love she felt for him. Slowly Sam reached out and cupped her hand against his cheek just the way Jake had done to her the night she'd said she'd go to the Winter dance with him all those years ago.

"Yes." She said breathily "I will marry you. I've never wanted anything more" Sam told him. Sam watched the way Jake started breathing again even as he beamed at her so brightly that Sam felt the warmth of it all the way down to her wet toes. Longing to pull him against her and kiss him until she didn't remember anything in the world but Jake's name, Sam bit her lip forcing herself to hold still as Jake pulled the engagement ring out of the ring box slipped it onto her ring finger there in front of everyone in the middle of a cattle drive. Sam blinked rapidly when the flash of a camera suddenly blinded her and she realised that Maxine had crept in so close to them so she could photograph this moment.

When Jake got to his feet he was still beaming and he eyed Sam happily. Unable to control herself for a moment longer Sam let out a squeal of happiness and threw herself into Jake's arms, kissing him soundly on the lips even as both of their hats fell off their hats at her exuberance. The feel of Jake's lips moulded to hers made Sam's heart melt as she kissed him with all of her love and happiness. Distantly she was aware of the camera flashing beyond her closed eyelids and of the people around them cheering and clapping. Sam started to laugh when she finally pulled away from Jake's lips and he let loose a cowboy yell of happiness.

"Well…. So much for it takin' ya years to convince her Jake" Dad said gruffly as he stepped forwards and offered his hand to Jake. Sam turned to see Dad looking a little resigned even though he smiled.

Jake shook his hand firmly and Sam watched one of those man-to-man looks pass between her father and her fiancé that had been passing between them since she'd come home from San Francisco.

"Congratulations Baby," Dad said to Sam. He must have put Cody in the car because Dad enveloped her in a hug, crushing her to him as he squeezed her tight.

"I know you're too young to have a daughter getting married Dad" Sam murmured as she hugged Dad back "But you know there's never been anyone else for me. Since I started following him around when I was still in pigtails I was doomed to wind up falling head over heels in love with Jake."

Dad started to chuckle as he pulled back but kept one arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Louise said the same thing you know? I can still see her in my mind in that blue dress of hers that you wear sometimes, clapping her hands happily and bouncing up and down in the ranch yard as you and Jake ran off to play some game together when you weren't even tall enough to reach my knees. 'Wyatt' she said 'Someday our little girl is going to fall in love with that boy. I'll bet they end up married and living happily ever after'" Dad smiled down at Sam, real happiness beginning to show in his eyes. "I didn't believe her back then. You're always gonna be my little girl Sam, no matter how old you get. Just promise me you're not gonna be makin' me a grandpa just yet?"

Sam laughed as Dad blushed, roundaboutly asking her if there was some ulterior motive for them suddenly deciding to get married now.

"Don't worry Dad. I'm way too young to even be thinking about kids and it would just be weird for Charlie to have a niece of nephew not much younger than him. Maybe five or ten years from now we'll think about kids." Sam smiled as she watched Dad's expression flicker with horror for just a second before he shook his head as though trying to clear away some mental image of Sam with a pregnant belly sticking out from beneath her tank top or five kids swinging off her.

"Samantha Forster" Gram's voice said sternly, making Sam and Dad both turn to look at Gram "Yong Lady I think you and I need to have a nice long talk when this drive is over." Sam felt her stomach drop as she looked at Gram's expression and she knew Gram had assumed the worst about Sam and Jake's stay in Reno a few days ago.

Before Gram could say anything else Maxine Ely swooped in and wrapped Sam into a hug.

"Oh Sam honey I can't believe it's finally happened. I feel like I've been waiting for forever to welcome you to the family and you aren't even married yet" Maxine gushed happily, hugging Sam repeatedly in her exuberance. "I mean, I'm happy that he didn't get down on one knee before he even went away to college but I feel like I've been expecting it since then. Oh congratulations honey, I'm so happy for the both of you."

Slowly everyone came forwards pulling Sam into hugs or clapping her on the back. Sam was surprised when Ross gave her and hug and congratulated her.

Slowly Sam made her way over to where Jen was. She was standing off to the side of camp and she sipped from a mug, though Sam could tell her stew was cold by now. She looked a little stunned by everything that had happened and Sam could tell that Jen was warring with herself. Part of her wanted to be happy for Sam and Jake, but another part wanted to believe all those things Sam had said to her about them both being too young to get married.

"Jen?" Sam asked softly as she approached her friend.

"Congratulations Sam" Jen said, but Sam could hear the forced quality of her cheeriness.

"Thanks…. I'm sorry you had to see that Jen." Sam apologised, feeling awkward about being engaged suddenly and so in love when Jen had turned Ryan down two weeks ago.

"What? Why are you sorry Sam? You should be happy. Don't let me ruin this for you. I really am happy for the both of you. I always knew you'd wind up getting married to Ely, you two were all but made for each other. I'm really happy for you." Jen said, sounding concerned to hear Sam apologise.

"Yeah, but I'm sorry we did it so soon after everything with you and Ryan." Sam said lamely, unable to think of a more delicate way to put it "We sort of agreed verbally that we'd get married when we were stuck in Reno in the storm the other night…. It felt awkward to keep it a secret but I didn't want to hurt your feelings so soon after everything….. I know you're probably thinking that all those things I said about being too young and what not seem silly now."

Jen polished her glasses before replying.

"Partner, you and Jake Ely have been in love your whole lives whether you realised it or not. You two were meant to be together. Things like age and maturity levels don't affect a love like yours. You both want the same things in life, and by some miracle want to achieve those things together with one another. Like I said earlier, Ryan and I weren't compatible. We wanted different things and I wasn't ready for a commitment like marriage when I still have at least six more years to go with my studies before I'll even be ready for any distractions like those that would come from a marriage. All those things you mentioned applied to the situation with me and Ryan, but not to you and Jake. You two have always had this intense chemistry together, and you've known each other so long that I've actually seen you two have entire conversations without saying a word to one another. Personally I think you're too young for kids, but I'm biased because I want us to someday have kids that grow up being best friends just like we are, just like you and Jake have always been. But I really am happy for you Sam."

Sam felt herself sigh in relief when Jen smiled genuinely.

"What's this partner? You've given up on the idea of us having kids who grow up and fall in love?" Sam asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"No…. I'm just reconsidering my options." Jen said evasively and Sam couldn't help wondering if Jen's reconsiderations had anything to do with the way she was eyeing Quinn Ely as he slowly swaggered towards them.

"Can't have cousins falling in love with each other" Sam murmured to herself "You know, he'd follow you anywhere Jen. Quinn's a great guy, he wouldn't spring a proposal on you. Heck, if you two gave things a shot he'd probably go to college with you." Sam said softly, trying to let her friend know somehow that it would be ok for Jen to develop feelings for Quinn.

"You really think so?" Jen asked, still eyeing Quinn. "He's funny and charming in a goofy kind of way. I never really noticed before ya know, because I was too busy mooning after Ryan…."

Sam smiled "All I'll say is that someday in the distant future it would be incredibly cool if instead of sharing children who loved each other, it would be pretty cool if we became sisters-in-law…." Jen blushed pink as Sam whispered "It's ok for you to fall for his charm and humour Jen. I know Quinn would follow you to the ends of the earth and back."

Sam fell silent as she watched Jen blush and flutter her hands nervously while Kit approached.

"I'm going to go get some more stew" Jen blurted as Quinn came up and she hurried off to do just that. Quinn quirked an eyebrow at Sam.

"What was that about?"

"Oh you know, girly discussion about me getting engaged when Jen refused Slocum's proposal two weeks ago….. Seems that she's coming to terms with it and realising it would've been a bad match." Sam looked at Quinn who was watching Jen across the camp. "I don't know what you've been doing Quinn, but if you keep it up you have a definite shot at winning her heart…. I may have mentioned that it would be ok for her to fall for you…. And that you'd probably follow her to the ends of the earth…. And that it would be incredibly cool if we someday became sisters-in-law."

"Meddlesome aren't you?" Quinn chuckled blushing a little bit but not looking like he minded all that much that Sam had intervened. Sam laughed when Quinn threw an arm around her shoulders. "I always knew we'd end up with a ranga in the family" he told her teasingly "So much for all those times you told me you were gettin' on with life huh Forster?"

"Smugness does not become you Quinn Ely." Sam told him even as she chuckled happily at the easy-going cowboy's words.

"You be good to Baby Bear, Forster" Kit's voice said from next to her and both Quinn and Sam turned to look at him in surprise for the stern, serious tone in his voice. Kit glanced sideways at her "You never stuck around that day all those years ago when me and Mum came home from town to find you and Jake cozied up on the couch, to hear what I was trying to tell ya…. But be good to him. Baby Bear's been runnin' himself ragged for you since long before he had any business stressing himself out over a girl. Be good to him and stop putting yourself in danger all the time. You nearly broke his heart when you were nine…. Just don't….. this'll hurt, but don't follow your mama's footsteps and get yourself killed for something that is less important than you…. Jake wouldn't survive something like that, Sam."


	26. Making Plans

**Chapter 26: Makin' Plans**

"River Bend Ranch, this is Samantha Forster" Sam answered the ringing phone while Gram and Dad both frowned at the interruption. They'd been home from the cattle drive for two weeks now, meaning Sam and Jake had officially been engaged for three weeks. Gram had had a very stern talk with Sam when they'd gotten home about how she hadn't meant for Sam to run out and put a ring on her finger after Gram's comment the other day when she was talking about Sam and Jake the morning Sam had come in wearing nothing but Jake's shirt. It had taken a lot of convincing to persuade Gram into believing that Sam and Jake hadn't gotten up to anything untoward during their overnight stay in Reno.

Luke Ely had also felt the need to have a stern chat with Sam when he'd gone to check on the pump to find out what sort of fittings he might need to fix their old one that kept breaking down and had found instead the brand new pump Sam had crept over and installed the night before they'd all gone on the cattle drive. Sam had left a little red bow stuck to the top of it and made sure to properly install it so it had taken more than a week after they'd been back for Luke to even think of the pump again. He hadn't been very impressed with Sam for doing it, but Sam had taken the old pump away so he couldn't give the new one back to Sam. She'd also told him that now that she was to be his daughter in law she had every right to give them the pump she'd won.

She'd even joked with him and told him it was her way of paying an old fashion dowry for Jake. Grudgingly Luke had been forced to accept the pump since Sam refused to let him have the old one back and had told him that if he uninstalled the new one and gave it back to her, she would just ride right back over and re-install it. Kit had then felt the need to butt in and tell Sam she had far too much sass for her own good.

"Samantha, this is Martina Malahov, I bought Frost from you a few weeks ago." Matina's voice came through the phone line.

"Oh Hi Mrs Malahov. How are you? Is everything ok? Are you having some kind of problem with Frost?" Sam asked worriedly.

"I'm well thanks Sam, and Frost is just an angel. I couldn't have dreamed up a better horse for my son Todd. Frost isn't the reason I'm calling. I have a little bit of a problem Sam and I think you might be able to help me out."

"Ok, what can I do for you?" Sam asked, intrigued by the hopefulness in Mrs Malahov's voice.

"Well, I remembered you telling me all about how you saved Frost from an Auction yard where she was likely to end up as dog-meat, and then I remembered you told me she was incredibly neglected and in need of some TLC and a decent feed….. Look Sam, I'm calling because I was wondering if you'd be able to help me out with a pair of horses. I recently rescued a pair of horses and Sam, they have problems. They used to belong to a neighbour of mine but he had a heart attack and died last week. The point is, there isn't a lot I can do with them. From what I understand he was intending to open up a stud farm much like mine, but I don't know where he came across this pair. They aren't wild or anything, just a little headstrong because he didn't know much about horses. He was the type to look over the fence and see the type of money a stud farm can rake in, and then go out and buy horses, stick them in a field and expect them to just go about their business with no handling or anything." Martina explained and Sam listened avidly.

"So what is it you need from me?"

"Well Sam, I don't really have the time or the trainers to spare gentling them as they need to be, and they aren't exactly the type of horses I would generally keep here at my stud. I was wondering if you'd be interested in taking them off my hands?"

Sam felt her heart give a squeeze. Just the other day Sam, Dad and Jake had been discussing getting a pair of horse for Sam and Jake to train up and sell. This could be the perfect opportunity.

"How much do you want for them?" Sam asked.

"Well, I'll be honest with you Sam, to me they are all but useless. I was thinking that if you'd be willing to drive up here and take a look at them it would be enough. But if you decide you want to take them, I'd be willing to let them go to you for the price of a nice little journal article about my stud ranch being published wherever you can pedal it."

"Oh wow…. Just give me a second Mrs Malahov and I'll discuss it with my family and see what they think."

Sam took a deep breath trying to still her excitement.

"Dad, it's Mrs Malahov on the phone, the lady who bought Frost. She wants to know if we'd be willing to take a pair of horses off her hands. They're in good condition, just a little unruly and in need of schooling since the man who owned them wanted to start a stud but didn't know the first thing about horses. She says she'd be willing to let them both go to us for the price of me writing an article about her ranch for the papers. She wants us to go and have a look at them and if we want them, we can take them."

Dad looked intrigued. "You sure there ain't nothin' wrong with 'em? Awful long drive if they're no good."

"Mrs Malahov? Dad is just wanting confirmation that there is nothing wrong with them. Have you had them vet checked?"

"Of course I have. They've had all their necessary shots and everything. I have to make sure they are one hundred percent healthy and quarantined before I let them anywhere near my breeding stock. They are healthy and strong, though a little shaggy looking after the winter as they are often difficult to approach. They've just been alone too long. There is one thing though Sam. They're a mare and stallion pair, and I have to tell you they are incredible animals…. We aren't certain, but the mare may be pregnant. It's too early for us to test whether or not she is, but the day before yesterday I had reports of seeing them coupling several times so it's likely she will be pregnant."

"Ok, I'll talk to Dad for a moment."

Well?" Dad asked, seeming very interested in this.

"She said they're one hundred percent fit and healthy. It's a mare and stallion breeding pair and Mrs Malahov thinks the mare may be pregnant since she apparently cycled two days ago and she had reports of the pair coupling. She said the only thing with them is that the mare may be pregnant and they're skittish from a lack of handling."

"Why is she sending them our way? Isn't she a trainer or breeder or something?"

"She breeds and sells race horses and some fancy pureblood breeds for high end customers. She said they're beautiful but just not what she deals in. She thought we could help since she doesn't want to risk her reputation by selling skittish horses to someone."

"Does that mean she wants them back after you've trained them?"

"Mrs Malahov? Dad seems interested. We're just wondering what the catch is. Do you want them back after I train them or something?"

"Not at all Sam. There isn't a catch. They just need a place where they can be together. I really think they'd be wonderful for breeding and the colouring of their foals would be divine. I just don't have the space for them and they aren't race horse type of material. I might be able to sell them to a high end client, but they're so skittish that I don't want to risk it. You did such a wonderful job with Frost and Honey that I thought maybe you could rescue these two. The only thing is I want to keep them as a pair. I had an offer for both individually but they are very attached, they scream like lost foals if we separate them."

"And you really don't want anything but a story for them?" Sam asked, baffled and trying to work out why Martina would just let her have two horses that sounded pretty amazing.

"Oh Sam, I've read a few of your articles. I think that a story would be more than fair considering the type of business such a story would generate."

"Ok just a second." Sam covered the mouthpiece to talk to Dad. "I really want to do this, Dad. Just the other day we were talking about getting a pair of horses for me and Jake to train. It's a long way, but the amount in fuel will be worth it if we can turn over the same kind of profit I got for Honey and Frost. It's a mare and stallion… a stallion might be unruly, but I think we could handle him. I know we'd have to hang onto them for a while if the mare is pregnant, but from what she's said they sound amazing. The only problem is that they're skittish. I've dealt with worse and so has Jake. I really want to do this Dad. I think Martina is a trustworthy person, and if we get there and decide against them it's not that much of a loss."

"Yeah, but you can't say no to a horse Sam. Look at those nags you talked Trudy Allen into saving. You won't be able to say no when you see them. If she really only wants a story for them then I don't see the harm but I don't have the time to spare to drive up there with you." Dad told her.

"Jake could come with me. He should, since he'll be training one of them. Can I tell her we'll be there in a few days?"

Dad looked at Gram and Brynna. They'd both been listening avidly.

"I trust you honey." Brynna said supportively "I think you should do it. A pair together will be wonderful for you and Jake to work on."

"It might be hard… she said they don't like to be separated and it's harder to gain their trust if they have each other but she said her people have handled them a little, sometimes they are just temperamental."

"Alright. But you and Jake will be responsible for them. Anything goes wrong and it's on you to fix it." Dad agreed grudgingly. Sam smiled, rolling her eyes as she turned away. Dad said that every time she saved a horse, as if she would think any different.

"Mrs Malahov, when are you available? It's a twenty three hour drive so we'll probably spread the drive over two days. When suits you to have us come and get them?"

"Oh Sam, that's wonderful news! I'm always here so you could come tomorrow. You'll stay the night here with us at my ranch, I'll give you the address of a place where you can stay the night with the horses on the drive home. Listen Sam, bring the trailer you brought Frost in, the open topped one. They haven't spent a lot of time inside a barn or anything and they are shocking to try and get inside a horse float." Mrs Malahov said happily.

"Ok, well I'll see you the day after tomorrow. I have your address on file from the bill of sale for Frost. Thanks for calling."

"Okay Sam, well drive safely and I look forward to seeing you. Bye now."

"Bye Mrs Malahov." Sam hung up the phone and felt like doing a little happy dance. She glanced at her family members "Can I call Jake now and tell him?"

"Dinner's going cold but you'd better so he can cancel anything he was supposed to be doing over the next four days." Gram said. She wasn't particularly pleased with Jake since he'd supposedly managed to sweet talk Sam into marrying him so young.

Sam rolled her eyes with her back turned while she dialled the Ely's number. Jake would think her silly to be calling when he'd only left here two hours ago. A gruff male voice answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" Sam recognised the voice of Luke Ely.

"Hey Luke, it's Sam." Sam said cheerily.

"Everything alright Sam?" he asked, instantly sounded concerned that Sam would be calling during dinner.

"Everything's fine. Could I talk to Jake for a few minutes? I'm sorry for disturbing your dinner."

"It's not trouble darlin'. Here's Jake."

"Sam?" Jake's voice held concern and curiosity that she would be calling at this time of night.

"Hey… So I just had a phone call from Martina Malahov, the woman who bought Frost a few weeks ago. She has a pair of horse she wants us to take off her hands for the price of a story. It's a twenty three hour drive to her ranch from here and I told her I'd head up tomorrow. You up for a road trip?" Sam asked nonchalantly, trying to keep any kind of tone out of her voice. If Gram or Dad or anyone else had a problem with the idea of Jake and Sam going away together for a couple of nights they hadn't said so yet but Sam could just imagine Gram being suspicious of Sam and Jake sharing a motel room.

"Sure. When are we leavin'?" Jake asked, sounding amused by her request.

"Tomorrow morning, obviously. There's a city in Montana I can see on the map here that's two thirds of the way there. I'll research a motel there and make a reservation since there is no way we'll get all the way to Martina's tomorrow. She's invited us to stay with her and her family at her ranch in Edmonton the following night. So you need to pack clothes for four days worth of driving and picking up two horses."

"What time do you want to leave in the morning?" Jakes asked and Sam could hear the excitement in his voice of a four day road trip with her.

"It's a long drive so I vote we be out of here by six. Does that work for you?"

"I'll see you then" Jake chucked.

"I'm picking the music" Sam cautioned him.

"You gonna serenade me the whole way?" Jake taunted her cheekily.

"Careful Ely, or I just might." Sam told him. Jake laughed at her.

"Night Brat."

"Night Jake" Sam murmured before hanging up the phone. She kind of wanted to tell him that she loved him and that she was excited about their trip together, but she didn't want to in front of her family since they would probably over analyse everything.

Sam picked up her plate and reheated her dinner since everyone else was finished. Gram was at the sink washing up and Brynna was drying the dishes. Dad sat at the table waiting for Cody to finish his dinner and Sam to finish her phone call.

"Where are you gonna stay?" Dad asked her when Sam sat back at the table.

"Great Fall in Montana is a little over half way there, so I'll call them after dinner and make a reservation. Mrs Malahov wants us to stay at her ranch the second night and she said she'd give me the address of somewhere we can stay with the horses the following night, probably a fairground or something."

"You're gonna need food and hay and wrapping to trailer them safely. The drive home will be longer in the summer heat, make sure you stop and water them every two hours or so, don't want 'em over-heatin'" Dad said.

Sam nodded "Apparently they aren't easy to trailer in an enclosed horse trailer, she asked me to bring the open topped trailer."

"Get it organised and ready to go tonight so you'll be ready to leave when Jake gets here in the morning. Probably need sleeping bags if you're stayin' at a fairground" Dad told her before getting to his feet, stretching and ruffling Cody's hair as he headed into the living room to watch the evening news. Cody followed Dad after giving his plate to Gram, having developed a new attachment since he'd broken his arm.

Sam sighed as she watched him go. She was not looking forward to the conversation that was about to come her way. As a Methodist, Gram was a firm believer in no sex before marriage and often had trouble accepting Sam and Jake doing anything so much as kissing. Sam didn't understand why Gram had been so grumpy about it lately though. After all, Sam had attended church with Gram often, she understood the beliefs and was keeping to them even though she had offered herself to Jake a few weeks ago. Sam was having trouble working out why Gram seemed so against her and Jake suddenly being engaged. When she and Jake had gotten together years ago, Gram had been pleased and tolerant of their relationship… but now she seemed almost to disapprove of Sam and Jake being engaged.

"Samantha, I want you to swear to me that you won't do anything foolish on this trip" Gram said with her back to Sam while she kept washing the dishes.

"Like what Gram? I promise we'll stop often to make sure we keep alert while driving. We won't drive after dark. You know I'll be safe with Jake" Sam said, knowing it wasn't what Gram meant but not wanting to address the fact that Gram was asking her not to have sex with Jake any time in the next four days.

"Sam, we know you and Jake are engaged, but you know we all think you're still a little bit too young…." Brynna began, sensing an argument was going to break out. "We just don't want you to rush into anything. Having kids is a big commitment and a lot of work, not to mention expensive."

Sam took a deep breath in and inhaled it very slowly to keep from snapping in response.

"I've said this a few times now, to all of you, but I want you all to understand that I'm not rushing into anything. I'm way too young to have kids. I know that better than anyone. Any time within the next five years is much too soon as far as I'm concerned to even be thinking about having kids. Besides, me and Jen made a pact that we'd have kids around the same time so they can grow up together. I don't know why you all seem to think I'm going to suddenly turn into some sex-crazed, barefoot girl, pregnant out of wed-lock or having a shotgun wedding, but I need you all to accept that Jake and I are together, not stupid. We're engaged to be married for crying out loud! But that doesn't mean I'm about to forget my morals or values or anything else and even risk the chance of falling pregnant right now. Frankly it's insulting that you have such little faith and trust in me."

Sam said slowly, trying to keep any anger out of her tone and finding it incredibly difficult.

"We just want the best for you honey." Brynna offered.

"Samantha, it's not a lack of trust in you or in Jake. It's just a wealth of knowledge. You're nineteen years old, Jake will be twenty-two in October. I'm sure you're both aware of the things other kids your age are up to, we had that talk when you and Jake got together four years ago. We just don't want you to rush into life too quickly and not have the chance to really live. You've always had a desire to travel…. If you get pregnant you wouldn't be able to do that." Gram said turning slowly to look at Sam and wiping her hands on her apron.

"I know that Gram. Of course I know that. I've been here the last four years with Cody and now with Charlie. I completely understand the type of commitment there is in having a baby and all the expenses and stresses that come along with it." Sam told her firmly "Please believe me when I tell you that nothing happened in Reno, and that nothing is going to happen anytime during the next four days that will in any way lead to pregnancy or anything else. Besides, there is no way I'm ever likely to willingly sign up for getting pregnant. That's like willingly refusing to ride for at least six months. I start going crazy when I'm not allowed to ride for two weeks. I know it seems to y'all that Jake and I have rushed into things…"

"We don't though honey, and that's the problem." Gram cut Sam off "I heard Jake when he said he'd been waiting to ask you to marry him for a long time. You might have fallen in love when you were fifteen, but a lifelong friendship has helped that along to be where you both are now. When a couple falls in love and marries, they usually take the time to know each other inside out before they consider adding a baby to the mix…. You and Jake know everything about each other already. You read each other with as much ease as picking up a book. We just don't want you to throw away your other dreams or plans for the romantic notion of having a baby."

Sam started to laugh just a little bit.

"There's nothing romantic about having a baby Gram. It's messy and often smelly and incredibly stressful. We're engaged and still know each other better than anyone else does despite the last few years apart, but I don't think a relationship between Jake and I could handle us having a baby just yet. Jake still has the nasty habit of thinking he can boss me around and thinking that he needs to shadow me to make sure I don't trip over something or do something a little dangerous even if it's for a good cause. Imagine if we had a baby…. He'd hover around expecting me to drop it on its head or something... No Jake and I need to do a lot of growing before that happens. I mean we don't even have anywhere to live… or any solid plans about a wedding or anything. Mostly we've just acknowledged the fact that we're in love with each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together."

"What do you mean nowhere to live?" Brynna asked, puzzled.

"Well… it's not as though we could both move in here or at Three Ponies. Both ranch houses are all but bursting with occupants."

"What about the bunkhouse here?" Brynna suggested.

"Then where would the HARP girls stay?" Sam shook her head.

"Sam's right. Neither house has a lot of room. I hadn't thought about where the two of you would live, together once you marry. After all it wouldn't be right for a husband and wife to live separately…. What about the Little House at Three Ponies?" Gram suggested coming over to sit with Sam at the table.

"Mac lives there. Besides, all my work is here. Most times all of Jake's work is here too. I've been thinking about it for a while and I just don't see a solution…. Unless we move into the barn."

"Well there is a loft in there. Mostly we use it for storage… But I don't think so. As a new couple you need to be able to live together with just each other, at least for a little while. We'll have to have a think about it. I take it neither of you wants to leave your respective family ranches either?" Gram said.

Sam shook her head. "Jake is a little more compromising than I am because he spends so much time here anyway. But if I were to live at Three Ponies I'd feel like a visitor all the time."

"We'll think of something." Gram patted Sam's hand. "I'm sorry I've been such a grump these past few weeks, honey. I was worried you and Jake were rushing things. It's good to sit and talk to you about these things without you thinking we disapprove or something….. it's just so strange to think of our little girl grown up and engaged to be married. And Jake too… I know Wyatt thought of him as the son he never had for years before Cody and Charlie came along. You better get on out and make sure everything is ready for trailering these horse homes, and then pack a bag before turning in for the night honey. You'll need a good night's sleep so you're rested for the drive tomorrow."

Gram gave Sam's hand a squeeze and Sam smiled at her grandmother and her stepmother, feeling better about having cleared the air between them all. Slowly Sam set about organising everything, starting with searching online for a motel they could stay at with a trailer and calling to make reservations for tomorrow night.

By the time Sam was showered and fell into bed in her night gown, she felt at war with herself. Exhaustion threatened her, but excitement and a little anxiousness about her upcoming road trip with Jake had her feeling jittery. Cody wandered into her room around eleven thirty and snuggled into bed next to her, clearly unable to sleep knowing Sam wouldn't be there for the next three nights to read to him and then sing him to sleep. His broken arm was wrapped in a bright green cast and he often grew irritated lately having the bulky thing on his arm. He didn't like not being allowed to get it wet if they went swimming and the heat of summer made his arm inside the cast sweat, which made him itchy. More than once Sam had caught him banging it against a fence post because he wanted it off so badly.

Sam smiled at the sleepy little boy when he cuddle close and fell asleep beside her. Sometime later Cougar crept over and curled himself up in the hollow behind Sam's knees and Sam fell asleep thinking she'd rather be out dipping her hot feet into the cool, chattering waters of the La Charla.

When her alarm went off, Sam woke up groggy. In her dreams the horses they were off to pick up were wild and uncontrollable, monstrously big with flames for manes and tails. Cougar yowled when Sam shifted position so she could get up and turn the alarm off before it woke her little brother. Even as she padded across the room in bare feet, Sam wondered how she had actually slept until her alarm went off. She hadn't done so since before she'd graduated high school.

"Sleepin' Beauty awakens" Dad's voice came from her doorway and Sam peered at him sleepily. He leant against the door frame watching her struggle to awaken. "You ok Kiddo? Ain't heard that alarm go off in years" Dad asked, looking amused and concerned at the same time.

"Hmm… I was shocked too. Maybe I haven't been sleeping as well as I thought. Or maybe I had too much sleep. Normally I'd have already been up for an hour…. I had strange dreams too" Sam told Dad, reaching her arms above her head to stretch. Dad quirked an eyebrow to ask what she'd dreamed about.

"I dreamed the horses where going to get were monsters with fire instead of a mane and tail, and so big that I was like an ant in comparison." Sam admitted, feeling silly about it but unable to shake the strange feeling she'd awoken too. Dad nodded but didn't say anything about her dreams.

"Probably didn't help havin' those two in bed with ya" He said, nodding towards Cougar and Cody who were both still curled up asleep. Sam smiled at them fondly.

"I don't mind so much. Besides, if I'm still tired when Jake gets here he can drive. He'll probably want to anyway since the first four hours are the same stretch of highway he's been driving for college." Sam said. Dad nodded.

"Come on downstairs and have some breakfast when you're dressed. S'posed to be a scorcher today" Dad added before he went downstairs, leaving Sam to get dressed.

Knowing she would be stuck in a car all day in the hot sun, Sam dug out a pair of her old cut of jeans and tugged them on. She found the red tank top she'd been wearing since she was thirteen and pulled it over her head before finding a jumper in her cupboard to wear until the morning heated up a little.

"Leave your chores this mornin' Sam" Dad said from the table. Sam raised her eyebrows. To be honest she didn't have many chores of a morning during the summer. Mostly she just had to make sure all the water troughs had enough water and had to feed the horses. Cody had taken over her old chores of taking kitchen scraps to the Rhode Island reds in their coop and collecting the eggs.

"You sure? Scorcher'll mean the horses need more water." Sam questioned, wondering why she was getting off easy this morning.

"You can feed 'em after breakfast and check their water if you want, or leave it. It'll give Cody somethin' to do if you leave it for him." Sam quirked her eyebrow at Dad's words "He's bein' punished. I caught him yesterday out in the barn with that kid sized saw of his trying to hack the cast off his arm to get at an itch inside it."

Sam started to laugh "How much longer does he need to wear it? He's been going crazy with it on. I caught him a few day ago banging it against a fence post trying to smash it off because he wanted to go swimming but he's too scared to get it wet again after last time when you punished him for swimming with it on and ruining the plaster."

"Promised him that he only has to wear it for two more weeks but if he's been bangin' it on stuff and it's not hurtin' him then maybe we better take him to the doctor and see if his arm's healed. It probably is since it wasn't a bad break and didn't go all the way through the bone. Kids bones tend to heal faster too 'cause they're always growin'" Dad said thoughtfully. "You got everythin' you need for this trip?"

Sam nodded. "There's hay in the trailer and the tank we cart water in on cattle drives in the tray of my truck, got wrapping tape for their legs and ropes to keep 'em in there. Bags packed with some stuff to do since twenty three hours in the car will be awful borin' without a book to read. Highlighted a route on the map so we know how far there is between towns. Filled a jerry can with fuel to make sure we got enough too. Sleepin' bags are packed. Gram baked us some cookies and snacks for the road. I think everything's ready. Thanks Gram," Sam added as Gram set a plate with some biscuits and toast down in front of her. She was halfway through them when she heard Jake's boots on the porch and she looked up to see him come through the door into the kitchen.

"Monrin'" he said to everyone, tipping his hat to Dad and Gram before taking it off along with his coat and hanging them up.

"Mornin' Jake" Dad said around a mouthful of toast.

"Jake honey, do you want some breakfast?" Gram asked him kindly and much more warmly than she had since Sam and Jake had gotten engaged.

"Yes Ma'am" he said, his eyes travelling over to land on Sam. Jake ducked his head to hide his smile when his eyes landed on his girl. Her long hair hung loose down her back today, and Jake was surprised to see how she was dressed. When they'd first gotten together all those years ago, Jake had leant Sam one of his jumpers after all of her clothes got drenched in a mini avalanche of snow melt. She'd gotten hypothermia at the time, and Jake had forgotten to ever get back his jumper, which Sam had lived in while she'd been sick. He was pleased and surprised to see her wearing the old thing this morning. As he sat down next to Sam, Jake gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"So where exactly are we headed?" he asked her, thanking Grace when she put a plate of food and a mug of coffee in front of him. Sam smiled at him warmly.

"Edmonton in Alberta, Canada." Sam told him. Jake felt his eyebrows rise in shock. She hadn't been kidding about the length of their drive or the amount of time they would be away. And that was provided nothing went wrong along the way. Sam chuckled at Jake's expression. "Better eat up Cowboy" Sam murmured to him "Soon as you're done we can hit the road."

Jake nodded even as he chewed his toast.

"SAMMY!" The sulky voice of Cody Forster cried from the stairs. Sam listened to the thudding of little feet on the stairs before her kid brother burst into the room in his race car pyjamas.

"What's the matter buddy?" Sam asked the little boy. His face was red and he had tear tracks down his cheeks. Sam smiled at the way his red hair stuck out at odd angles because of the way he'd slept on it. Cody Forster didn't respond as he scuttled around the table and climbed into Sam's lap. He snuggled his wet face into Sam's neck as he hugged her and Sam cuddled the little boy close.

"Did you have another nightmare Codester?" Sam asked him softly. Every so often since the storm that had resulted in his broken arm, Cody had been waking her up at night with his nightmares. They often included coyotes ripping at him and tearing him apart, though Sam had no idea where he'd gotten some of the images into his head. As far as she knew he'd never seen a coyote attack where the animals killed and tore apart their prey to devour it, but he still had nightmares because of the way he and Tia had fought against the three coyotes that had him, her and Cody's little Shetland pony, Poncho, bailed up against a fence, dancing in and out nipping at the children. Both Cody and Tia had been bitten, though neither of them badly. Poncho had needed his nose doctored from the nasty tear the coyotes had put in his velvety nose.

"Don't worry buddy, you're too big and tough for them coyotes. You saved everyone when you were so brave, fighting them off even with your sore arm" Sam comforted the little boy and he snuggled against her.

"I thought you left without saying goodbye" Cody whispered to her "They'll get me without you here to save us Sammy."

Sam glanced over at Dad who was frowning worriedly at his eldest son. Gram frowned too. Sam had mentioned a few weeks ago that he'd been having nightmares, but she hadn't kept them updated with every single nightmare. At first they had been worried that Cody or Tia might develop a fear of dogs, but neither of them had exhibited any fear of Blaze, Singer or Gal.

"No one and nothing is gonna get you buddy." Sam promised her brother softly "And you know I wouldn't leave without a cuddle from my favourite little man." Sam smoothed her hand through his messy auburn hair, trying to give it some semblance of respectability.

"Y'all better be hittin' the road" Dad spoke up and Sam looked up to find Jake, Dad and Gram watching her with Cody.

"You ready?" Sam asked Jake. He nodded at her, looking intrigued as he watched her with Cody. "Ok, Codester you be good, ya hear? Don't go banging your cast on anything or tryin' to cut it off while I'm away ok? I want to see how gross your arm's gonna smell since you ain't washed it in so long." Sam told the little boy, successfully distracting him from his nightmare.

"It's gonna be real yucky Sammy" Cody said gleefully.

"Sure is buddy. You be good and help Mom and Dad and Gram while I'm not here won't ya?" Sam asked him. Cody nodded vigorously "Do you promise? If I come back and you haven't kept your word I won't take ya swimming for a whole week."

"I promise" Cody said solemnly, his blue eyes wide and serious with his childish innocence at the idea of not getting to swim for a whole week with Sam. Sam cuddled the little boy before lifting him and standing him on his feet next to her chair. She got to her feet, watching Jake do the same.

"Stop when you need to; make sure you have enough gas to get to the next town before leavin' each one. If you run into any trouble we're only a phone call away" Dad said sternly, eyes scanning both Sam and Jake "Might even be best if you spread the trip home over three days, don't wanna travel with them ponies in the hot sun with that open top trailer… Let us know when you stop tonight that you got there safe."

Sam smiled. She often went into Reno overnight for her college classes, and she'd spent a summer with Aunt Sue in the city a while back, but she hadn't left the ranch on this kind of trip without Dad there with her and she could tell from the orders he delivered gruffly and the way he rubbed the back of his neck that he was worrying and not liking the idea of letting her go. She had to bite her lip on a smile, outside of Dad himself, she'd always been safest with Jake and Dad knew it. Sam supposed Dad was probably worrying about letting his nineteen year old daughter and her new fiancé go off for several nights alone together.

"I promise we'll call" Sam smiled at him, stepping around the table and letting Dad wrap her into a hug. She breathed in the clean scent of the soap he used and the scent of the desert that lingered in his line dried clothing. When Sam stepped back from him, Dad fished something out of his pocket and pressed it into her hands. Sam looked down and gulped to see the wad of cash he'd given her.

"Make sure y'all have everything ya need" Dad said, offering his hand to Jake which Jake shook. Neither of them spoke to each other but Sam could see Dad's eyes as he stared at Jake and she knew he was silently telling Jake to make sure nothing went wrong and to keep Sam safe.

"Drive safe honey" Gram said as she folded Sam into a hug "Be good, and if you get there and these horses are just not saveable, don't feel obligated to take them. We love you honey." Gram patted Sam's cheek and Sam smiled at the very subtle reminder not to do anything rash with Jake any time during the next the four days.

"We'll call you from the motel tonight" Sam promised them "Say goodbye to Brynna for me, and give Charlie a kiss." Dad nodded at her and Sam let her eyes slide over to meet Jake's. He fixed her that tom-cat smile that made her heart do a backflip and Sam headed for the door, grabbing her hat and pulling on her boots before stepping out onto the porch. The cold of the night still lingered in the ranch yard, but Sam knew it was going to be a scorcher of a day and she couldn't help thinking that it would be nice to be in the shade in the cab of her truck all day rather than beneath the hot summer sun today.

"I'm drivin'" Jake told her as he went around to the driver side door and climbed into Sam's truck. Sam rolled her eyes at him. She had expected he would call first stint of driving- so Sam went around and climbed into the passenger side without an argument. Jake started the truck and Sam looked across to see Dad, Gram, Cody and Blaze standing on the porch. She could see Brynna waving sleepily from her bedroom window and Sam rolled down her window to wave at her family. Ace and Tempest both whinnied at the sight of Sam leaving without feeding them or lavishing them in attention like she usually did and she smooched kisses at her ponies as the rolled out of the ranch yard and across River Bend Bridge.

"Tell me 'bout these horses" Jake said as he pulled onto the highway and headed for Alkali so they could get gas.

"I don't know much about them. It's a mare and stallion breeding pair. Martina thinks the mare is probably pregnant since she cycled a few days ago and they haven't separated them. Martina rescued them after the neighbour who owned them had a heart attack last week. They're skittish and unruly and she doesn't have the time to train them. They aren't race horse material apparently. She didn't say much else, just that she had offers for both of them individually but when they tried splitting them up they screamed like lost foals. She didn't want to sell them individually or risk her reputation by selling poorly trained horses. I talked Dad into it because we'd been talking about getting a pair of horses to train anyway and these ones are only costing the cost of gas, accommodation and a story about Martina's ranch. I drafted one last night based on the information I found online, but I'll refine it once I've seen the place and interviewed a few of her employees and Martina herself for some nice quotes to flesh the piece out. I bought my camera so I could get some good shots of the place to go with the story too."

"I take it you want the mare then?" Jake asked, looking slightly amused by Sam's rambling.

"Not necessarily. It might be kind of fun to train the stallion. I have a way with them ya know" Sam smirked at him, thinking of her connection with the Phantom even as she rubbed her fingers against the silky strands of white hair braided around her wrist. Jake snorted.

"As if me or Wyatt would let you anywhere a stallion to train? We might be unable to keep you away from that stud, but you have a connection with him. He's more likely to protect you than attack you. Other stallions are another matter" Jake told her. Sam crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't look at me like that Brat. I ain't criticizin' your horse skills, and if you want to train a stallion so bad then maybe when we get there if he looks like he's not likely to kill you, and you want to, you can train him."

Jake rubbed the back of his neck when Sam started to jiggle her foot in irritation. It was an old tell-tale sign that he'd irritated her and Jake shut up before he could say anything else to antagonize her. After a long time of glaring at him, Sam spoke.

"You need to get over this irrational urge to protect me at all costs Jake. I did just fine lookin' out for myself without you here to hold my hand."

Jake glanced at her from beneath the brim of his hat as the sun began to peek over the horizon. When he didn't respond Sam narrowed her eyes further. She could tell from the way he kept glancing at her slyly that he hadn't meant to make it sound like she couldn't handle training a stallion, but as she had always done, Sam found herself searching for any double meaning in Jake's words and taking them as a sort of dare. Jake stayed silent to keep from putting his foot in it any further and still hadn't spoken as they payed for the tank of gas and climbed back into the truck. Jake pulled back onto the highway headed towards Elko where he had gone to college as it was on the way. Sam turned up the radio, and after a while she forgot her irritation with him as the sun rose higher in the sky and the country songs blaring out of the radio carried her mind to other things.

They were almost at Elko when Jake finally spoke again, and he interrupted Sam singing along to a Band Perry song, turning the volume down to speak.

"How far we need to get tonight?" he asked her.

"I made a reservation at a truck stop in Great Falls, Montana." Sam told him, turning to look at him. She had kicked her boots off a while ago and had her feet stuck out the window as she lounged in her seat watching the miles roll by. "Why?" Sam asked.

It was a little past ten in the morning and they still had a further nine hours of driving ahead of them before they could stop for the night.

"Was gonna show you where I was livin' while I was at college" Jake told her without taking his eyes off the road "Someone there you need to meet" he added. Sam raised her eyebrows.

"Who?" she asked, feeling butterflies flutter with a nervous kind of dread. A part of her was fearful that Jake would tell her about a girl he'd met or befriended while he'd been away at college. Jake glanced at her for a minute, clearly hearing something in her voice that made him think that she was worried.

"My roommate, Brandon" Jake answered and Sam felt herself sigh in relief to hear a boy's name "We wound up livin' together since we both had dogs and needed somewhere we could have 'em with us."

"Wouldn't there be a lot of places that accept dogs?" Sam asked, curious as to why that had thrown them together.

"Yeah, but a whole bunch of them had a problem with mixed breeds like Singer. Brandon's got a wolfdog, named Leloo" Jake explained, Sam nodded her understanding. She supposed some places would be reluctant to allow mixed breeds because both wolfdogs and coydogs were unpredictable because they had warring natures.

"You'll like Brandon" Jake told her, grinning at her. Sam was dying to question Jake about his friend and wondering why Jake wanted her to meet this Brandon. Jake must have sensed her curiosity because he continued "Me and Brandon had a lot in common. He's from Nebraska, but he was as miserable as me when he turned up. He left his girl behind to come to college too and more than once we had to talk each other out of drivin' home and beggin' youse take us back." Jake laughed at the memory and Sam's heart soared to hear it. "Him and Morgan got things sorted in the winter. She finally forgave him for leavin' her. She's living there with him now."

Sam smiled to know everything had worked out for Jake's friend and for Jake too, but she wondered why Jake wanted her to meet them. Jake must have caught sight of her puzzled expression because he grinned at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling Sam close to his side so he could press a kiss to the top of her head.

"Figured you want to meet 'em before they turn up at the wedding" Jake said. Sam ducked her head a little when she caught sight of Jake's smug smile, grinning at how pleased he sounded to say the words out loud that there would be a wedding between him and Sam. "I reckon you'll like Morgan, and Brandon too" Jake added as Sam reached up and entwined the fingers of her left hand with Jake's where it rested on her shoulder.

"Careful Cowboy" Sam teased "Or people might start thinkin' boys get excited and happy about the idea of getting married right out of college."

Jake grinned down at her as Sam tilted her head back to look up into his face. Knowing it was dangerous but trusting that Jake could keep the car pointed in a straight line to follow the highway, Sam reached up and pressed her lips to his. She sighed at the feel of his lips responding to hers. She might tease him for how eager he seemed to tie the knot with her, but Sam was just as excited as he was at the prospect of tying her life to his.

She'd had trouble falling asleep last night, thinking about what it might be like to actually live with Jake. The night they had spent together in Reno had gone well, and the easy, comfortable relationship between them stemmed from years and years of friendship. Sam was only more comfortable with her horses than with Jake. Surely living together wouldn't be difficult. They both worked hard and were accustomed to doing anything that needed to be done. The big problem for them would actually be deciding where they would live since there really wasn't any room in either of their houses. Sam also kind of agreed with Gram that it would be good for them to not be living on top of either of their families for a little while. Not that she was worried she and Jake needed anyone else, just that it would be good for them to really have to focus on being a couple, a married couple, rather than feeling like they had their whole lives being best friends and next door neighbours.

"What's got you frownin' Brat?" Jake asked her softly. He still had his arm around her and Sam had pulled her feet back inside the car so she could shuffle over and snuggle her face against his chest.

"Those big issue things we haven't really discussed yet…. You know, about being engaged. I was talking to Gram and Brynna last night since they seemed utterly convinced that along with a pregnant mare, you'd be bringing home a pregnant me from this trip" Sam blushed a little. She'd done a lot of thinking about the sex thing between her and Jake and she had every intention of marrying him before they did that, but she still felt nervous every time she thought about it. Of course she didn't feel all that nervous about Jake seeing her naked after their stay in Reno, but she did still get nervous butterflies about it.

"Anyway, after we had the 'please don't wind up having a shotgun wedding' talk, we started talking about other stuff. Like where we would live. We all drew a bit of a blank. After all, it's not like either of us want to move away from our ranches, but there just isn't room anywhere at your place or at mine. Brynna suggested we move into the bunkhouse, but then the HARP girls wouldn't have anywhere to stay. I suggested the barn at River Bend or at Three Ponies, since both have a loft, but Gram thinks that we ought to move away a little so that we transition between having lived next door to each other and seeing each other all the time, and actually dealing with living with just each other." Sam babbled, she knew she was nervous from the way she kept on babbling and prattling and she knew that Jake knew it too.

"We'll work it out" Jake assured her warmly and Sam felt a yearning to completely believe him just so she could stop stressing about it. "You thought about when you want to do this… or any of the details?" Jake asked her curiously. Sam bit her lip, wondering if it would make her seem heartless if she were to admit that she'd been trying not to think about any. Jake must have read that from her expression though, because he chuckled quietly.

"I've been trying not to" Sam blurted out "I just…. I feel weird because I don't really know anything about it all, and bringing it up with Gram or Brynna was like booking a one-way ticket to lecture town. Until last night they'd all actually been terrified that you and me would rush into having a kid or something" Sam could feel herself blushing, and she was grateful that she was already cuddled up against Jake's chest so that she could hide her heated face.

When Jake stayed silent Sam just had to look up to see his expression, wondering what kind of thoughts he might have about them having kids together. She didn't like to admit that she had day dreamed about what any kids she and Jake might have would look like, but she wondered if Jake ever thought those kinds of things. His expression was mild and Sam wondered if he'd schooled his features to that particular arrangement to keep her from guessing his thoughts. Slowly Jake took his eyes away from the straight road to stare at Sam and though his face was mild, his eyes were wild with hunger and a fierce sort of longing. He stared so intensely that Sam felt herself blush all over again.

Could Jake really want kids with her right now? Or did he just imagine what it would be like to have a little person running around who was half him and half her? In her mind Sam could picture kids they might have. A little girl with Sam's hair and Jake's eyes… or maybe a little boy just the same as the boy Jake had once been…. All Sam knew for sure was that any kids she and Jake might someday have, they would surely love horses just as fiercely as she and Jake did.

"Anyway…." Sam said finally, breaking away from those wild eyes she loved so much while her cheeks heated up so much that she felt sure the sun would feel cool in comparison "I um….. haven't really thought about any of it…. I suppose some things are easy to decide… others are less clear…. I suppose I'll need to ask Jen and Ally and Callie to be my bridesmaids…." Sam began to muse about all the things she knew of weddings. At Dad and Brynna's, Dad had only Dallas as his Best man, and Sam had been Brynna's bridesmaid.

Sam looked out at the desert flying by them as they rolled towards Elko, day dreaming about the fancy wedding magazines Aunt Sue used to buy even though she rarely dated while Sam had lived with her. Traditionally, people married in churches and Sam knew that Gram would be upset if Sam and Jake had the ceremony anywhere but a church but for some reason Sam didn't like the idea. In her mind she pictured her walking towards Jake as he wore a suit, Dad's arm looped through hers while Jen and Ally and all her favourite horses were present. She imagined flowers and the sweet smell of sage brush and horse filling the air. Of course in her mind Sam imagined herself getting married to Jake up in the Phantom's hidden valley, which was utterly out of the question because that would mean revealing to everyone where the Phantom's hideaway was.

"Jake…." Sam began hesitantly "How would you feel about not having the ceremony in a church?"

Jake looked surprised for a minute "I don't really mind. I'm not all that religious….. Thought you'd want to have it in a church. I know you sometimes go with your Gram."

"So did I…. I mean, I used to go with Gram a lot, but I haven't been in a little while. She'll be upset if we don't get married in a church, but…. Am I being incredibly foolish for wanting Ace and Tempest to be at the ceremony?"

Jake snorted in amusement but Sam could tell from his expression that he wasn't at all surprised. He didn't answer her but Sam started to smile at the way Jake threw a little grin at her as though he would expect nothing less.

"What about you?" Sam asked him "Have you thought about it at all?"

This time Jake rubbed the back of his neck and Sam smirked to see the faint blush beneath his mahogany skin. He refused to look at her, suddenly finding the straight road incredibly interesting.

"You'll have to get a list to me of the people you'd like to invite" Sam said "most will probably overlap, but there's probably a few people like Brandon and Morgan that you want to invite along."

Jake nodded, still not meeting her eyes and Sam smiled to know that he'd clearly been thinking about their coming wedding a lot if he was so intent to keep her from knowing it. They were on their way into Elko and Sam had begun to day dream again when she turned to look at Jake.

"How would you feel about setting the date sometime at the end of Fall?" she blurted out, blushing red.


	27. Brandon & Morgan

**Chapter 27: Brandon & Morgan**

Sam raised her eyebrows in shock when Jake Ely pulled his t-shirt off over his head in the cab of the truck where they sat parked on the curb outside a small wooden house that was painted yellow. It was a quiet street, but Sam couldn't fight back her surprise to see Jake so willingly baring his chest.

"Take that jumper off and put this on" Jake told her, grinning at her raised eyebrows as he handed her his shirt before opening the door and getting out of the truck.

"What? Jake, Why?" Sam asked, confused as she climbed out to find him digging through his duffle bag for another shirt.

"This is where I used to live Brat, with Brandon and Morgan. Brandon's wolf-dog is really protective and aggressive if she doesn't know you. That smells like me, so she won't kill you." Jake told her as he pulled a blue t-shirt over his head.

Frowning, Sam took off her jumper and pulled Jake's shirt on over her tank top. It was too big on her, hanging down further than the hem of her cut-offs and making it look like she wore no pants.

"Because god forbid I meet your friends without looking like a giant dweeb" Sam grumbled as Jake smiled at her when he saw how big it was on her.

"I think you might look cuter than you did the day I asked you out, when you were drowning in my winter clothes and had a snuffled up nose" he told her as he came forwards to sling his arm around her shoulders.

"Gee thanks" Sam snorted, remembering the way Jake's brothers had all teased her when they saw her in Jake's oversized clothing that made her look like a child. "I look like some homeless girl you rescued off the street" Sam complained as Jake steered her towards the gate into the front yard of the house he'd lived in at college.

Sam jumped when a giant black dog started barking and growling, hurling itself at the gate.

"Leloo!" Jake said sharply, forcing the dog backing with his knee so that they could get into the yard. The dog started whining and wagging its tail when it recognised Jake's scent, and jumped up to put its paws on his stomach, trying to lick his face in greeting.

"Oi Brandon" Jake called loudly, "Come and control your girl!"

Sam had never been afraid of dogs, but she was grateful Jake had hold of this one's collar when it caught sight of her and tried to hurl itself at her.

"Stick your hands in you pits for a second, so they smell like me, then let her smell you" Jake instructed while Sam watched the dog carefully. Sam did as Jake instructed, reluctantly holding her hand out to the dog.

It sniffed her hand for several long minutes before Sam slowly petted its head.

"That you out there Jake?" a male voice called with a Nebraskan accent.

Sam watched Jake let go of the wolf-dog and turn towards the young guy coming out through the screen door of the house.

"Well now, what do we have here?" Brandon drawled as he caught sight of Sam, making Jake grin.

Brandon had dark brown hair, cropped short, and pleasant features. His nose was slightly flattened in a way that made Sam think he might've broken it one too many times. He was shorter than Jake by a few inches, just clearing six foot and he had lively blue eyes. Dressed in army pants cut off at the knees and a tattered looking shirt, Sam thought he looked nice enough, though a little rough around the edges.

"Someone you ought to meet Brandon" Jake was still grinning at his friend as the guy came out the door and out into the yard, petting his dog on the head before offering his hand to Jake.

"This is Sam" Brandon said matter-of-factly still looking at her with a smile on his face. "I heard all about you little lady. Pleasure to meet ya."

Sam couldn't help but smile when he offered his hand to her the same way any cowboy would and she knew that if he'd been wearing a hat he'd have tipped the brim to her.

"It's nice to meet you too" Sam replied, still smiling.

"Come on in y'all" Brandon invited, turning back to the house and waving a hand behind him "Morgan's inside, baking cookies."

"Excellent, I'm hungry" Jake grinned and Sam looked at him in surprise.

The house was cosy, with a narrow hallway that led down to a large open kitchen. There was a girl standing at the bench with her back to them, dressed the same way that Sam was, wearing cut-offs and what Sam guessed must be one of Brandon's shirt since it was way too big on her. Her hair was curly and blonde, falling to her shoulders in a fly-away sort of way and Sam noticed that she was petite and slim, much shorter than her and than both boys.

"Morgan, look-y who Jake brought with him for us to meet" Brandon said, bounding forward seeming delighted as he wrapped his arms around the girl from behind.

"Get off me then so I can see, you big idiot" She scolded him even though she was laughing as he picked her up in his exuberance. Sam could see at a glance that they were very much in love with one another.

"Hey Jake, I'll hug you when this man-child puts me down" the girl said and Sam laughed at the way she teased her boyfriend easily. Jake reached over and gave Sam's hand a squeeze, making her feel better with a sweet smile.

"Still haven't trained him right?" Jake chuckled, throwing himself down in a chair and nudging a second one out for Sam to join him at a rickety kitchen table.

"Nope. I been smackin' him but I think he likes it" Morgan giggled, swatting at Brandon's arms.

"There's your problem right there. You gotta swat his nose with a newspaper" Jake chuckled when Brandon stuck his tongue out at Jake and Sam knew immediately that she liked Jake's friends. They were fun and easy-going.

"Hi Sam, I'm Morgan, Brandon's better -more civilised- half." The girl said when she finally managed to wriggle free of her boyfriend and Sam was startled as Morgan came right over and gave Sam a hug as though they were the oldest of friends.

"It's so good to finally meet you. For a little while there I thought Jake was a little loony and that you were a figment of his imagination."

"Naw" Jake said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking embarrassed.

"And what's this I see?" Morgan asked, making Sam jump when she lifted Sam's left hand and inspected the ring on Sam's finger. "He convinced you, huh?"

Sam smiled as she admired her own ring again while Brandon leapt to his feet shaking Jake's hand and clapping him on the shoulder again, congratulating the pair of them.

"Are you as shy as Jake or has the Man-Child scared you?" Morgan grinned at Sam kindly when Sam sat there looking nervous.

"I don't think anyone's as shy as Jake" Sam grinned, liking the way Jake blushed and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Tell me about it. I think I'd been living here for a month before he'd say anything to me other than a polite hello." Morgan told her, going back to the counter and rolling more cookies into balls, flattening them on a half-filled tray.

"How'd you convince her?" Brandon asked him, grinning at Sam and Jake when Sam laughed at Jake's behaviour.

"Oh you know, yelled at her some, told her why I left in the first place, sweetened the deal of telling her I nearly proposed at eighteen by showing her that little fuzzy ring box. Kept tryin' to ask her and having her shush me," Jake grinned over at Sam, mischief in those mustang eyes "Took her to a rodeo and got us stuck there for the night in the storm. She went and asked me in the middle of the night."

"You asked him?" Morgan grinned at Sam "Hell Jake, you were supposed to get down on one knee all proper."

"Oh he did" Sam grinned now "After another storm a few days later in the middle of a cattle drive while my kid brother and Jake's niece were about to be taken to hospital. What kind of fool take's an engagement ring along on a cattle drive?"

Brandon started to laugh. "The kind that's been mooning after his girl for too many years and knows better than to miss an opportunity to propose to her and get her forever."

Sam smiled when Brandon tugged Morgan down onto his lap.

"You'd already sprung it on me the first time, the one time I didn't have the damn thing with me. Wasn't gonna risk that again," Jake told her as he got up to make everyone tea as though he still lived there.

For more than an hour Sam, Jake, Morgan and Brandon sat around eating the oven-warm cookies and chatting. Sam liked the way Brandon and Morgan were both so easy-going and cheery, very much in love with each other and making it so that anyone who got near them seemed to immediately be drawn in a blissful happy world that they created. Jake had asked right out of the gate if Brandon would be one of his groomsmen telling him that Best Man had been reserved for his high-school friend Darrel. Brandon seemed honoured by the request and had agreed.

Sam and Morgan had talked a little bit about the minor plans she'd decided on and the more the talked about it the more comfortable she felt, blushing less at the idea as she realised just how excited she was to be getting married to the man she was so in love with. Sam promised that she'd have the invitations ready as soon as she could and told Morgan to keep an eye out in the mail for theirs.

By the time they'd left Sam felt very much like she'd gained two wonderful new friends and when she jumped into the car, letting Jake drive again since he insisted, Sam snuggled over against him. Just before they could pull out, after Morgan had returned to the house to retrieve the newest batch of cookies form the oven since they'd eaten the first batch, Brandon stuck his head through Jake's window.

"Any pointers on askin' her old man if I can marry her?" Brandon asked Jake "We're headed home in two weeks. Figured it was time I got 'round to asking for his blessin'."

Jake grinned at him "Make sure she's out of the room. Remember that in your mind she might be a goddess, but in his she's still the little girl with missing front teeth dressed up as Cinderella and dancing on his shoes. Make sure he knows you'll treat her right forever."

Sam stared at Jake, shocked to hear him offering such advice. She had no idea when Jake had asked Dad if he could marry her, but it sounded as though he knew what he was doing.

"And when I ask her?" Brandon asked, rubbing the back of his neck in the same gesture Jake always used when he felt awkward or uncomfortable.

"Surprise her" Sam grinned "You can go all out with bein' fancy after a nice dinner or something, but everyone's done that. Wait until she's riled up about something in a fight and then spring it on her. Unless it's a fight about something important…. Then she might think you're not taking her seriously…"

"You reckon?" Brandon grinned.

"You know you're gonna have it easy" Jake told his friend "Y'all already live together, so her Daddy knows all about you stealing his princess away. And you know Morgan better than anyone. Just think about what will make her happy."

"Chocolate makes her happy" Brandon told them.

"Look at it this way Brandon" Sam offered "You're both gonna be lookin' back on the day you proposed for the rest of your lives. It's a story she'll brag to her friends about and one that you'll tell you grandkids about. Avoid clichés and just go with what feels right. Even if it's the middle of the night after you've been fighting or in the middle of a cattle drive in front of everyone you know, if that's when it feels right, that's when you do it."

"Thanks" Brandon grinned and Sam could tell he already had a plan formed in his mind.

"You got a ring already?" Jake asked him.

"You were there when I bought it" Brandon replied, grinning "Since it was the same day you bought Sam one."

Jake nodded and Sam felt herself smile wider "When you ask her old man, show him the ring. He likes you anyway so it shouldn't be much trouble, but let him know you're serious enough about it that you already got a ring."

"I'm real happy you two sorted everything out" Brandon told them as he watched Sam lay her head on Jake's chest with a smile "And I'm honoured that you want us there for your big day. Y'all stoppin' in on the way back?"

"Probably not. I doubt we'll come home empty handed and there's nowhere here to let these horses loose for a bit." Jake told his friend.

"What about over at the Elko fairground? Them corrals would be good enough to keep any nags in overnight. Y'all could camp out. Morgan would love it, never met a girl who likes camping out like my woman." Brandon suggested.

Jake glanced at Sam with his eyebrows raised, silently asking her if she would mind stopping on the way back and camping the night in Elko wit Brandon and Morgan.

"Dad did suggest we break the trip home into three or four days so they horses don't get dehydrated in the sun with no top on the trailer. And I like camping" Sam grinned.

Jake smiled at her "We'll give you a call when we're close on the way home alright. But we'll probably be back through by this Sunday at the latest."

"We'll be looking for ya" Brandon grinned at them both before he clapped Jake on the shoulder again "I'm real happy for you Jake. Sam's even more wonderful than you let on and you deserve to be happy. It was real nice meetin' you Samantha."

"It was nice meeting you too Brandon, and Morgan as well. We'll see you next week ok?" Sam smiled at him.

"Count on it. Y'all drive safe and if you need anything, you know how to reach us. Anything at all Jake, ya hear?"

Jake nodded, tipping his hat to his friend as Brandon pulled his head back out of the car and moved away onto the sidewalk. Sam waved at him as they pulled out and found herself smiling up at Jake again.

"So what'd you think?" Jake asked her as they headed for a gas station.

"They're wonderful. I'm excited to stop in and see the again on the way back. They're so happy together and so in love that just being near them wrapped me into their happy bubble."

Jake nodded "Yeah, they're pretty easy goin' and always tormentin' each other. Brandon loves tickin' Morgan off just to watch her swat at him and stamp her feet."

Sam chuckled, even in the short time they'd visited shed noticed the other couple doing just that.

"I really liked them Jake, I'm glad they'll be coming to the wedding."

"You mean when you get around to thinkin' about it enough to start making invitations and sendin' 'em out?" Jake teased her.

"Yes, when I get around to that. What did you think of the Fall idea?" Sam asked him.

"This Fall or next?" Jake queried.

"Which would you prefer? If you'd rather we wait until next year, we can…. It will give us more time to get everything sorted and organised."

"Don't leave you much time to get things organised between now and the end of November is all. Besides, you been fussin' about where you want to live, and there ain't no use in us gettin' hitched it we ain't got somewhere to live together after we tie the knot. Why Fall?"

Sam watched Jake, fascinated by him and by the fact that they were actually discussing a date to set their wedding.

"I like the colours in fall" Sam replied.

"Thought Spring was your favourite time of year?" Jake frowned "With all the babies and new growth."

"It is" Sam confirmed.

"Then why don't we try for next spring? Sometime in May."

"May?" Sam murmured, a little smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Before she could ask Jake why May, he hopped out of the truck to get gas.

Sam dug into her bag at her feet, pulling out a notebook that she always carried with her, deciding that it was time she started putting a list together of everyone they would be inviting and things that needed to be taken care of before then.

She really had no idea what kind of wedding she wanted, though May would make for a lovely garden wedding somewhere. Gram was going to flip, but she would have to deal with it. Both she and Jake were outdoors people and it made sense for them to have an outdoor wedding. Sakes and she'd need to work out so many other things. Like how many bridesmaids she wanted, and what colours the wedding should be themed. Dad and Brynna had gone for hunter green and cream, but Sam was leaning more towards blue and white. She'd have to think about the type of wedding dress she wanted to wear and the type of bridesmaid dresses; have to plan somewhere to have the reception and try to find somewhere to hold the ceremony that would be pretty and nice, not to mention accessible since the whole town would probably come. Sam bit her lip as the mass of details she needed to sort out overwhelmed her, before deciding that for now if they could settle on a date and get a head start on a guest list that would be enough.

When Jake got back in the car and headed back towards the highway, Sam glanced over at him and asked "What's your favourite number?"

Jake glanced at her and there was something in his gaze that told her that he thought she should already know the answer to that question. Sam wracked her brain wondering if there had ever been a time when Jake had told her his favourite number or his lucky number.

"If you're askin' to use it as a date for this shindig, then the seventeenth." Jake told her, an amused gleam in his eyes.

"Why do you say that as though that date has some significance to you?" Sam asked him. Jake grinned at her for a minute in such a way that Sam found herself grinning right back at him.

Sam felt her heart skip a beat when she heard Jake's reply; "It was the seventeenth of May five years ago that I realised I loved you."


	28. Horses & Happiness

**Chapter 28: Horses & Happiness**

Sam felt a slow smile spread across her face as they pulled into the ranch yard of Martina Malahov's stud farm. It was breathtakingly beautiful, even in the low light of dusk and Sam could see immediately that it was so well manicured because of the high-brow clientele Martina entertained.

"Stop here for a second" she said to Jake, who was behind the wheel. He slowed to a stop in the driveway, looking at her quizzically while Sam dug her digital camera out of the bag at her feet. She hopped out of the truck, snapping a picture of the ranch just as the last rays of sunlight peeked out from behind the mountain above the ranch house and the stables. The immaculate garden and lawn really set of the image and Sam grinned, knowing that this would be the feature picture to accompany her article.

"Nice shot" Jake complimented her when she hopped back in the truck and showed him.

"It's going to be perfect for the article. Oh, I think I see Martina. We probably look ridiculous sitting here in the drive." Sam smiled.

Jake put the truck back in gear and drove the rest of the way up the road, steering the car into the spot Martina indicated with a wave that they should take.

"Hi Sam!" Martina called exuberantly as Sam hopped back out of the truck "Hi Jake."

She hurried over to them "Grab your bags for the night and come on in, dinner's just a few minutes away. I'll show you to your room. How was your trip?"

"Oh it was alright. Long," Sam replied after greeting her.

"Well you're here now and that's what matters. What had you stopped down the drive?"

"Oh, I wanted to get a picture of the place for the article. You're going to love it when you see it" Sam smiled.

"Fantastic. Oh I'm so pleased you came all this way. I know it's far, but I think you'll definitely find it worth your while." Martina said as she led them into the luxurious ranch house "Alright so this is your room here if you two are alright with sharing… I wasn't sure."

"We don't mind sharing" Jake grinned "Gives me the chance to get used to sleeping without the covers for when we're married."

Sam blushed at Jake's mention of the fact that last night in their motel room he'd had to wrestle the blankets away from her when she'd rolled herself up in them like a human-burrito, leaving him with no covers.

"Oh you're engaged?" Martina asked, smiling at them both curiously.

"Yeah. He asked me a few weeks ago," Sam smiled, holding out her left hand to show Martina her left hand.

"That's wonderful. Well congratulations to both of you!" Martina said, "So this is your room. There's an en suite in here and everything you need, towels and everything should be in the bathroom cupoboards. I'll give you both a minute to settle in and relax after that drive. Dinner will be downstairs in the dining room at seven. And thank you both so much for coming all this way."

With that she smiled and walked off, leaving them to set themselves up in the room for the night.

"Nice place," Jake commented and Sam could see the way he was eyeing the fact that the place was much fancier than anything either of them were used to. It was clear that Martina made a lot of money through her business. The house was luxurious but not so fancy that Sam felt uncomfortable.

"Yeah, it is. And Martina's nice. I was kind of hoping she'd show us the horses, but with dinner in just a few minutes I guess she wants us to eat first." Sam commented as she walked over to the bed and dropped her duffle at the foot of it before flopping down on it on her back, enjoying the freedom of being able to stretch out after so long spent in the car.

"She'll probably wait until tomorrow in case we don't like 'em" Jake told her, moving over to flop down next to her, his hand reaching over and tugging her to him until Sam was stretched out on her stomach on top of him, grinning into his face.

"Guess she doesn't know that I love all horses, huh?"

"Brat, if they're not salvageable, we're not takin' 'em home. I know you can't resist, but we don't need to get stuck with a pair of nags that we can't train and sell," Jake warned her and Sam tried not to roll her eyes at his serious expression.

"She wouldn't have already had offers on them if they were nags. They'll be fine. I know it."

"Well don't think you can give me puppy dog eyes and take 'em home if they're not Sam," he warned her, and Sam grinned, having learned last night that if she looked at him with puppy dog eyes, he'd give in to what she wanted – something she'd discovered when she'd begged him to go to the cinema and watch a girly movie he hadn't been interested in seeing.

"Stop worrying so much. I'm sure they'll be great and tomorrow we'll be on our way with two knew horses to train," Sam told him before leaning up so she could plant a kiss on his soft lips.

Jake smiled slowly, his arms wrapping around her and threading into her long hair as he kissed her back hungrily, unable to resist the feel of her lips moving against his so tantalizingly. Sam sighed happily, enjoying the feel of kissing him and just being with him. She didn't think there was anything in the world that felt better than having Jake Ely kiss her.

"If you keep this up we're going to be late to dinner," Jake warned her, when they came up for air even as he kept pressing soft pecks to her lips hungrily as he added, "Again."

They'd made a reservation for dinner last night when they'd rolled into Great Falls, before going to the motel to wash up. They'd made it for eight, but had ended up missing it when Sam had gone up on her toes and started kissing Jake as he came out of the bathroom shirtless after his shower.

"But you taste better than dinner," Sam protested before leaning into him again, kissing him soundly. She swallowed the sound as Jake laughed, a little thrill racing through her as one of his hands ran down her back to her behind, pressing her against him even more firmly and intimately.

Several minutes later, Sam slowly pulled back, her eyes fluttering open. Jake's mustang eyes glittered with heat and desire for her and Sam grinned at him.

"Come on," she murmured huskily, "Or Martina might come looking for us for dinner."

After dinner, Martina took them out to the barn to show them the many horses she trained and bred. Sam fawned over all of them. They were all beautiful creatures and she saw more than one that she'd love to take home with her. Jake squeezed her hand, holding it comfortably inside his own as Martina led them around the barn, telling them about her business and answering all of Sam's questions for her article about how she trained them, about her breeding program, the breeds she dealt with, the winning racers she'd bred.

"Alright, now that I've positively wowed you," Martina grinned, "I suppose it's about time I got around to showing you the pair you came all this way to see."

"That would be nice," Sam replied, "I've been getting nervous thinking maybe you'd changed your mind or something."

"Oh no, nothing like that. I just love showing people around for the first time and watching their faces light up, you know? It makes me feel a little more normal to know I'm not the only one utterly awed by the horses."

"You definitely aren't," Sam assured her, "I've seen more than ten ponies that I'd love to take home even though I already have so many of my own."

Martina laughed delightedly.

"Alright then, they're down this way. Come on," Martina led them down to the very end stall at the end of the humungous barn, a stall Sam had peered into earlier and seen no horse occupying.

"We'll have to turn on the flood lights in the pasture. They don't much like coming inside unless there's bad weather," Martina told them, reaching for the switch before leading Sam and Jake outside so they could see into the attached pasture.

Sam's breath caught at the sight the pair made.

The mare and stallion were both Gypsy Vanners.

"Oh Martina," Sam sighed, as she admired the pair. The stallion had a white face and black forelock; his chest and hind quarters were black while around his barrel, across his rump and all four fluffy fetlocks were piebald white. The mare was almost a complete opposite, her chest, hind quarters and rump were all white while her barrel and the upper parts of her legs were black. Like the stallion all four of her hooves were concealed by the thick feathering adorning her fetlocks. Both horses had huge flowing manes and tails that showed both black and white colouring.

Sam immediately fell in love with the pair of them.

"They're Vanners," Jake said, sounding stunned.

"I know, beautiful aren't they?" Martina commented.

"But they're so valuable Martina," Sam protested, "You're sure you want to let them go for just a story?"

"I know their value Sam, and I know how beautiful they are. Individually I've had offers for each of them for well over ten thousand each, even though they're not technically registered on the Gypsy Vanner Registry. Technically, they aren't actually Vanners. They're just piebald Clydesdales. And I know that I could make a profit on them, but I really don't want to risk my reputation by selling them to the types of people who made those offers. These two need love and care and to actually be ridden and put to use. The people who made offers for them wanted to split them up, which I don't want to do, and only wanted them because they were fascinated by their size and their abundance of fluff."

"But still, I'm sure you could find someone willing to pay for them," Sam protested "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to take them home, but I don't want you to feel cheated out of the profit you could make on them."

"I've seen the magic you make when you train horses, Sam. Frost and Honey are both beautiful horses. These two are both headstrong, and I believe that most people would take the spirit out of them in order to train them. I've seen the results of your work and I believe you're the best person to train them. I want you to have them. And one of your stories is more than likely to attract enough business for me that it will surpass anything I could make selling them. Not to mention that if you take them, my reputation won't be risked."

"If you're sure," Sam hedged, yearning to take them home with her but not wanting to swindle Martina.

"I am. You're welcome to go in with them if you like. They're not aggressive until you corner them. That's why they're a little shaggy too. We haven't been able to handle them in close quarters for a long enough period to properly groom them," Martin explained, "I'm going to go on inside and let the two of you discuss it. I'll see both of you in the morning for you decision alright?"

"Ok thanks," Sam replied. She waited until Martina was out of sight before she looked up at Jake hopefully.

"Don't look at me like that," Jake told her, "We ain't got room for two Clydesdales. Or the fencing. You remember what happened with Tink?"

He said, referring to the first horse she'd ever saved from the auction yards in Mineral.

"But these two aren't jumpers. Look at this fence. They could clear it easily and they haven't. And they're so pretty!" Sam protested.

"I knew you'd be a sucker for those manes," Jake shook his head, though he smiled a little.

"Think of how much fun it would be," Sam said, trying to convince him.

"Nothing fun about more than a ton of horseflesh standing on your foot with those dinner-plate sized hooves Sam. You remember how big Tink was. You were lucky with him, but he could've crushed you. So could they if they spooked while you were in the stall with one of them. They could crush you into a pancake against the wall entirely by accident," Jake argued with her.

"Please Jake. They're not going to hurt us. Look how curious they are," Sam pointed, indicating to the fact that both horse had begun to wander closer to investigate the hand Sam had hung over the fence, "They're not even going to take all that much training."

"No, but they're going to eat more than all the other horses at River Bend combined," Jake told her.

"We can afford it" Sam said "And the profit we'll make will easily make up for it."

"Didn't you tell me the mare's pregnant?"

"They think she is, yes."

"Which means you'll have to hang onto her until the foal is old enough to be weaned. And then you'll have three Clydesdales to feed. And knowing you, you'll want to hang onto the foal until it's grown and train it to sell too."

"And given how we're getting all three for nothing, I'd say there's nothing but profit to be made. Besides, they're beautiful. We can't just leave them Jake."

"If we take 'em home you're not working with the stallion," Jake warned her, "All that horseflesh will crush you if he gets aggressive."

"He could crush you too, you know," Sam pointed out, crossing her arms in indignation.

"I'm bigger than you," Jake argued, "That's my deal Sam. If we take 'em, you're not working with the Stallion until he's quiet. Or we leave 'em both here and poke on home to find some regular sized nags."

"Why are you being so serious about this? He won't hurt me," Sam demanded.

"Brat, I just got you back and I'm keepin' you forever. Ain't nothin' and nobody is gettin' near you that might take you away from me. You hear?" Jake told her, moving over and standing in front of her, putting his hands on the tops of her shoulders, "I ain't saying I'm gonna wrap you in cotton wool, but I want you safe and happy until we both die of old age in our bed when we're well over a hundred."

"You're being unreasonable," Sam told him, "But if it means we get to take them home I'll agree to letting you work with the stallion until he's not likely to spook at nothing and trample me."

Jake grinned at her.

"Well, come on then. Let's meet these ponies proper," he grinned, first offering his hand to both horses – who by now had their heads hanging over the fence rails towards the pair of humans as though they were listening to their debate.

When they were both comfortable being scratch and petted, Sam and Jake both slipped into the pasture with them.

Sam grinned as she sidled up to the mare, combing her fingers through they long fluffy mane and coat of the horse. She felt a little dwarfed standing beside the stocky, huge mare, and the stallion was even bigger.

"I wonder if they already have names," Sam mused out load.

"I dunno Brat. Shoot, look at the size of the guy," Jake commented, standing beside the stallion and showing just how much bigger than him the horse was. Sam had to duck beneath the mare's strong neck to see him since she couldn't see over her back, unless she stood on the very tips of her toes.

"They are big," Sam agreed. "But gentle. I thought they were going to be way more skittish than this, but they seemed perfectly content being scratched and petted like this. Maybe when they're put in small stalls they feel cramped. Especially if they've been keeping them together. I'd feel claustrophobic if I was this big and suddenly found myself in a tiny stall."

"Wyatt's going to have a cow when we bring them home, you realise that right?" Jake asked rather than commenting on her words.

"Yeah he will, but they look so much like Vanners that there'll be plenty of people who'll want to buy them," Sam pointed out.

"True. And it seems like they're going to be pretty easy to train. They're fairly gentled already."

"I'd say that Martina's trainers are only used to perfectly schooled ponies and headstrong race horses. They're probably not used to horses that don't like being in stalls or floats," Sam said "That must be why she said they're a little skittish. They seem fine to me. I mean, I'm not about to try hopping on their backs, or running under their legs or anything but they're nowhere near what I thought they'd be."

Sam chuckled when she found a ticklish spot on the mare's shoulder that caused the mare to groan and lean into Sam's scratching.

"Let's just hope they don't give us any trouble when we try to load them into the trailer tomorrow," Jake commented, "You ready to head inside?"

"Not really. But I won't be until morning, so we might as well," Sam admitted.

"I'll see you in the morning, pretty princess," She whispered to the mare before pressing a kiss to her velvety nose.

She and Jake climbed over the railing and headed back for the barn and Sam smiled when both horses nickered from behind them as they went. Jake wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tucking her in against his side.

"You know it's not that I don't think you could handle training him, right?" Jake asked her, clearly guessing her thoughts without her even opening her mouth, "I just don't want to risk you any more than necessary."

"But it's ok for you to be at risk?" Sam asked him, glancing up into his face.

"No, just I'm less likely to do something foolish. I know you Sam. You underestimate the animals you dedicate yourself to sometimes. And from what I've seen that stallion is quiet enough that you'd probably be fine. I just don't want you getting hurt, that's all."

Even though she was kind of annoyed about his apparent need to protect her from everything – still – Sam felt a smile pull up the corners of her mouth.

"I love you too," she told him, responding to the unspoken but clearly implied message he was getting across with his concerns for her. Jake tugged at the brim of his hat with his free hand to hide his responding grin.

"Come on Brat, let's get inside and give your folks a call. Let 'em know we made it and that we'll be bringing home a pair of huge ponies in a few days," He told her.

"We're going to have to take even longer on the drive home. Towing those two in the trailer is going to make for a slow trip," Sam told him.

"Good thing I like your singin' voice then, ain't it?" Jake poked fun at her as they went inside and up to the bedroom Martina had given them for the night.

"Do you want first shower?" Sam asked him as she closed the door.

She squeaked in surprise when she turned to find him right in front of her, grinning at her even as his hands came up to cup her cheeks and he leaned down, kissing her hungrily.

Sam melted into him with a delighted whimper, her arms going around him and pulling him close. His tongue swept into her mouth and Sam moaned at the familiar taste of Jake, his spicy scent overwhelming her senses and driving her wild. She loved the way he kissed her slow and careful, stoking the flames of desire within her as his hands slipped into her hair, making her forget everything but the taste of his lips; the feel of his warm skin under her fingers where she slipped her hands up the inside of his shirt; the long hard length of his body pressed against hers as he held her close.

Sam loved the feel of simply being with Jake. Her stomach rioted with butterflies, her blood sizzled with desire, making her want to push their wedding date forwards simply so she could find out just how fantastic Jake could make her feel when he finally made love to her. Stars she wanted him to. So much so that when his hands slipped down her body, skimming gently over the swell of her breasts before cupping them in his palms, Sam groaned.

Before she even realised what she was doing, her hands found the hem of his shirt and began to lift it, breaking their kiss long enough that she could pull it off over his head. She dropped it on the floor at their feet, before reaching for his kisses once more, her hands running over the warm, hard flesh of his now bare chest, abs and back. She could feel Jake smiling against her lips as he kissed her, the passion between them building as he kissed her a little harder; a little more urgently.

She felt her stomach do a backflip when he pulled back far enough to tug her shirt off over her head and she shivered with delight when his warm hands trailed over her flushed skin, leaving goose-pimples in their wake. Sam groaned when his hands found her breasts again, hands kneading gently through the thin fabric of her bra. Stars, why was May so far away?

She didn't want to wait that long.

When Jake's lips burned a line of fiery kisses down her throat, Sam clutched at him hungrily, trying to fight the urge she had to throw herself at him again. She was painfully aware of the fact that this time he didn't have the excuse of them not being engaged yet and she was sorely tempted to say to hell with the idea of waiting until they were actually married before having sex. Just as she opened her mouth with the intention of suggesting just that, Jake murmured against her skin.

"Shower with me?"

Sam heard her breath catch and she opened her eyes to find Jake's mustang eyes wild with desire and yearning for her. She knew that it was a bad idea. If she showered with him, there would be no way she'd be able to control herself. He must've seen her moment of hesitation.

"I'm not saying we should… you know…. I just want to hold you against me while you're naked again. Only in the warm shower this time, rather than La Charla," He told her quietly.

Sam felt a wicked smile curl across her face even as she nodded and leaned up, capturing his lips with hers again. Jake's hands on her lower back tightened possessively when Sam slid her fingers across his taut abs until her fingers found the fastening on his jeans and unbuttoned them teasingly. She jumped when his hands slid up her back and unsnapped the clasp on her bra.

Sam sighed as she let the uncomfortable contraption slide down her arms to the floor, her bare flesh pressing against Jake's and sending a pleasurable zap of electricity through her, making her crave even more skin-to-skin contact. They stumbled as they both toed their own boots off without breaking their kiss and Sam giggled when she nearly tripped as she tried to kick her jeans off while Jake kissed her neck hungrily.

The feel of the hot spray beating down on them only added to the fire between them and Sam moaned as Jake pressed her into the shower wall, the hot water sliding over their bared flesh. Subconsciously, Sam rolled her hips against the hardness prodding her pubic bone, her nails dragging up and down Jake's back and she kissed him hungrily.

The feel of it seemed to unsnap the leash Jake kept on his self-control and Sam hissed in a breath through her teeth, her nails digging in and urging him on when he began to thrust against her gently. His hands on her flesh tormented her, his lips stealing her self-control and making her forget her dignity as she groaned at how good he could make her feel.

"Shoot, Sam. You're killin' me," Jake groaned into her collarbone as she rolled her hips in time with each dry thrust of his body against hers.

"You started it," Sam said breathlessly, her lips buried against his throat as she kissed, sucked and nipped at his flesh hungrily.

Jake chuckled at her words before groaning again at the feel of her flesh rubbing against his so sinfully. Sam gasped when his hands cupped her breasts again, his thumbs brushing across his pebbled nipples and driving her wild, sending spears of desire and pleasure ricocheting through her.

"Sakes, May's too far away," Jake murmured huskily when Sam pulled him even closer, pressing his body into hers harder.

"Don't make me wait until May, Jake," Sam whispered to him, feeling those butterflies in her stomach riot wildly as she said it. Jake froze against her, lifting his head from where he'd been resting his forehead against the top of her shoulder to peer into her eyes.

"You want to….?" He asked, those mustang eyes wild. Sam nodded in answer, knowing what he meant without him saying the words.

"We don't have any…." He widened his eyes a little, clearly not wanting to totally ruin the mood by saying the words condoms. "You'll get pregnant if we…. You know… without one."

Sam whimpered, cursing herself for being such an idiot to have forgotten to buy any condoms. In response, one of those lazy tomcat grins spread across Jake's face.

"Do you trust me Brat?" he asked in a whisper.

"Of course. But we're not ready for kids and not having a shotgun wedding Jake," Sam told him seriously, aware of the fact that her voice, like his, was husky with need.

"We could do other stuff," He told her in a whisper and Sam's whole body quivered with need and anticipation and a little nervousness when the hand he had on her hip slid slowly south. His eyes held hers clearly waiting for her to either stop him or give him permission.

Jake held his breath, his hand moving further south against her silky smooth skin as he waited for Sam to stop him. When that all too familiar wicked grin slipped across her face and she leaned up, kissing him wildly, Jake took that as all the permission he needed, allowing his hand to continue it's descent until his fingers nudged at the part of her he'd never before touched.

She quivered in his arms, gasping against his lips. Jake grinned as he buried his lips against her neck once more and explored her body with his fingers, causing her to moan and whimper needily while he learned what she liked. As her breaths came faster and she gave herself over to the feel of his hands on her, her hips rocking against his fingers, Jake was sure she was about to come entirely undone.

And he was going to be right behind her.

Something she guaranteed when her small hand wrapped around his length and began to glide up and down. Jake groaned at how good it felt, already close to losing it given the way she'd been rocking herself against him already. When his fingers nudged her in just the right spot, Sam uttered a little shriek of pleasure, her whole body going rigid, her hands clamping tight around his biceps, her head thrown back against the shower wall he'd pressed her into.

Jake lifted his head to watch the way her face contorted as he brought her undone. Her mouth was open a little forming a silent O, her eyes were clamped shut as though she were in pain and simply couldn't stand another moment of pleasure, and her breath came in short, sharp pants. The sight of her pleasure, combined with the feel of her hand clamped tight around him, still pumping up and down, pushed Jake over the edge behind her and he groaned against her neck, knowing he was giving her another love bite but too out of it with bliss to care.

When it was over, Jake leaned back slowly until he could press his forehead to hers intimately. She still had her eyes closed, and Jake could tell that though she smiled contentedly, she was trying not to blush as the reality of what they'd just done washed over her.

"Brat?" he whispered to her, waiting for her to open her eyes and look at him. "You ok?"

Slowly, as though her eyelids were heavy, Sam opened her eyes and blinked at him happily. He could see the contented sleepiness in her gaze and he felt a smile grow on his face.

"I'm so much better than ok Jake," Sam whispered to him, her voice breathy and contented "I'm perfect. I've got you."

Jake felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest with how much he loved the girl in his arms.

"Are you ok?" she whispered when he just smiled at her.

"I'm the luckiest man alive," He whispered to her seriously "Stars, I love you Samantha."

"I love you too Jake," Sam whispered to him, "And I'm keeping you. Forever."

Jake chuckled, positively giddy with the knowledge.

"Until the end of time," he agreed.

Sam shook her head, grinning sleepily now. Jake quirked an eyebrow at her in concern at her denial before she vowed; "Longer."

**THE END**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Dearest Reader. **

**My thanks to you for embarking on this journey with me and for sticking things out until the end here. I know some of you might feel disappointed to see it end here, but fear not. I am currently in the process of writing a prequel to this fic, called "Two Strong Arms" that begins right where Terri Farley left off and goes until the day Jake returns from college where this fic begins. When that is complete, I intend to write a sequel to Wild Things that will begin right where this fic leaves off and go until the very end. I'm sorry I don't have it pre-written for you to give to you now. But I promise it is coming. In the meantime, I hope you'll join me in the prequel with as much fervor as you've shown here. You are truly the reason I write these.**

**xx-Ellie**


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